


Take Me to the Other Side

by VelvetMoon99



Series: Above and beyond [1]
Category: Kamisama Hajimemashita | Kamisama Kiss
Genre: Accidental Drug Use, Action & Romance, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Clubbing, Drinking, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, First Time, Hentai, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Naughtiness, Porn With Plot, Spirit World, Supernatural Elements, Swearing, Tropes, girl porn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-21
Updated: 2018-09-30
Packaged: 2019-03-22 03:21:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 63,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13755231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VelvetMoon99/pseuds/VelvetMoon99
Summary: Set in the time after Tomoe’s memories are restored, this story is written from Nanami’s perspective and takes their relationship to the next level. It explores the impact their intimacy has on many of the characters, the unexpected challenges it creates and the changes it makes to all their lives.RATING: M/MA     Warning Chapters 1, 3, 6, 11 and 12 contain explicit adult content, mature 18+ readers only!THIS STORY IS COMPLETED, IT IS PART 1 OF A SERIES.Part 2 - Awakening - Release has started! Chapters now up on AO3.





	1. A Night to Remember

**Author's Note:**

> A big thanks to Madisuzy for her encouragement and support.
> 
> Title inspiration song: The Other Side – Jason Derulo 
> 
> RATING: M/MA Warning Chapters 1, 3 6, 11 and 12 contain explicit adult content, mature 18+ readers only!
> 
> DISCLAIMER: Kamisama Hajimemashita (Kamisama Kiss) ©2008 Julietta Suzuki/Hakusensha – Viz Media – TMS Entertainment All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.

It was a beautiful spring day, the cherry blossoms were out in full bloom and the air was rich with their sweet scent. Nanami stood on the shady deck and took in a deep breath, filling her lungs with their fragrance before spinning on her heels and bounding towards her room.

During the last few months the shrine and its inhabitants had settled into a peaceful, quiet life. With the return of Mikage, the former land god of the shrine, Nanami’s role as a land god had become much easier. His thoughtful advice and calming presence brought peace to the normally rowdy household.

Nanami was meeting Kei for Saturday lunch, a habit they had fallen into recently. As she made her way across the courtyard to leave the grounds of the shrine, she turned and glimpsed Tomoe gliding between the buildings, his tall silhouette unmistakable. The sunlight on his snow white ears and long thick tail made them glow, enhancing his ethereal beauty. She still had trouble believing an ordinary girl like herself could win the heart of such a being. Shaking her head, she refocussed on her journey and made for the flight of stairs down into town.

Strolling into the town square, she spotted Kei waiting on the corner outside their favourite tea shop; smart phone raised in one hand as she endlessly texted. Kei turned and spotted Nanami, yelling out, “Hey girl! Looking good, as always!”

Wincing, Nanami mumbled a hello as she approached, trying unsuccessfully to dodge one of Kei’s notoriously tight hugs. Clutching at her sunglasses, she was mercifully freed before they toppled to the ground.

“Come on, I’m dying for my update,” Kei chimed, striding off to find a secluded table. Nanami followed, weaving between the furniture till she found her friend happily perched in a cool leafy corner at the back of the shop. After they had ordered Kei leaned heavily onto the table, fixing Nanami with an intense stare. “Have you made any progress with that white hot boyfriend of yours?”

Nanami stared at the napkins. “Um, well, I’m working on it,” she stammered in an unconvincing voice. Kei rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair, a look of disdain crossing her face.

“I don’t get it, what’s the problem? You’re one of the most stupidly brave people I know. You can blunder into anything without thinking, so what’s the deal?”

Nanami had reached the point where she wanted her relationship with Tomoe to become intimate, but it hadn’t progressed naturally to that stage. Things had stalled, they seemed to be stuck in an adolescent romance and she held a deep abiding fear that it would stay that way.

In desperation, Nanami had sought Kei’s advice, telling her about the incredible events of the last year and the relationship that formed between her and Tomoe. Nanami’s confession forged a bond between the two girls and Kei now saw it as her duty to assist her friend with her relationship woes.

“Look Nanami, you two are going to be bonking each other senseless eventually, so what are you waiting for? God knows I wouldn’t have to think twice about it. He’s so hot I’d have him on his back in a heartbeat!”

Nanami’s mouth fell open in shock.

Kei slid sideways on her chair, gripping the table as she roared with laughter. “Oh god, that was so worth it!” she drawled, delighting in her friend’s embarrassment.

“Oh for heaven’s sake, you are NOT helping!” Nanami wailed. “I’ve told you he doesn’t seem interested! What am I supposed to do? Run naked through the shrine? He’d probably laugh at me!” Covering her eyes with both hands, she could feel tears of frustration welling up. It didn’t seem like Kei was taking her seriously at all.

Realising that the joke had failed miserably, Kei mumbled apologies as she pulled herself together. “Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean to hit a raw nerve”. Straightening her dress, she took a deep breath and looked Nanami squarely in the eyes. “Hey, you are the one who saved his life, all those years ago. You managed to make a demon fall in love with you… that’s one hell of a thing you did there. You, my girl, are fucking amazing. That’s why I need to help you with this. You earned his white hot booty and by god, I’m going to get it for you!”

The two friends relaxed back in their chairs, the moment of madness over. Nanami needed Kei’s support to give her strength. She could face down demons and gods, but when it came to intimacy with Tomoe her courage deserted her.

“You’ve gotten pretty hot and heavy with him already haven’t you?” Kei asked, already knowing the answer.

“Well yes, I’ve kissed Tomoe a few times and it’s been pretty… err… passionate… sometimes….” Nanami sighed and stared at the napkins again. “But it’s always been after some major drama. Things are really quiet now and the passion seems to have died.”

Kei thought for a moment, rubbing her forefinger under her chin. “I’ve got no doubt he’s interested, so you don’t have to be concerned about whether you can start his ignition, if you know what I mean. The thing that seems to be worrying you is….”

“I don’t know how to drive,” Nanami interrupted, stating what they both knew. “I can’t even imagine it really. He kind of terrifies me, he’s so….”

“Hot?” Kei interjected. “Sorry, that’s not exactly what I meant. He’s got this cat like grace when he moves, it’s quite hypnotic. Even without the ears and tail, you can’t help but notice him.”

“Ugh, I know,” Nanami said, leaning on one elbow. “I get caught staring at him, it’s embarrassing.” Dropping her eyes, she spoke in almost a whisper. “He kisses like no other guy, not that I’m an expert, but with other boys….”

“Well he’s not a boy is he? He’s over 600 years old,” Kei answered quietly. “I can’t blame you for feeling intimidated.” Sitting back in her chair, she considered the situation while she sipped her tea. “Okay, I think I know what’s going on,” she finally declared. “He’s waiting for you to make the first move.”

Nanami leaned forward on the table, twiddling her napkin between her fingers. “What do you think I should do?”

“Don’t sweat it,” Kei declared, waving a hand in the air. “He won’t care what you do girl. Trust me. Just give him the right signals then sit back and let him drive. Try something subtle. When he’s kissing you, slide your hands underneath his shirt.” Pausing for a moment, a wicked smile spread across her face. “Don’t go for broke and shove your hand down his pants, he’ll probably have a fit.”

Sitting back in her chair, Kei closed her eyes; no doubt she was imagining the scenario. Nanami blushed as she tried to visualise the moment, but then the fear of rejection came creeping back into her mind.

Kei could see her friend’s discomfort. Placing her hands behind her head, she took in a deep breath. “Leave it with me. I’ll come up with an idea to get you two away for a few days, that shrine is always full of people.”

Nanami muttered in agreement.

“Oh cheer up! This sulking has been going on for too long, we need to get you laid!” They stared at each other for a moment then started to laugh. Nanami was having an adult conversation, albeit an awkward one, but it felt like progress. She knew Kei would work something out so there was light on the horizon.

The two friends moved on to the subject of shopping, a light-hearted conversation which took up the rest of their lunch.

As they parted, Kei gave Nanami a squeeze and told her to have courage with Tomoe. “He’ll take anything you dish out to him, just give it a try. I’ve seen the way he looks at you”.

Nanami smiled at her friend, grateful for her encouraging words, but it didn’t resolve the hopelessness she felt inside. It was time to return to the shrine.

*******

On the way home Nanami wandered aimlessly through the park, intentionally delaying her return. Stopping to sit on a bench, she hoped the calmness of the lake would ease her anxiety. She watched as a beautiful white swan glided effortlessly through the water, passing a small brown duck.

_That’s how I look next to Tomoe_ , she thought gloomily to herself.

It was late afternoon by the time Nanami entered the grounds of the Mikage shrine. She knew Tomoe was leaving to run an errand after lunch so she hoped to avoid him.

Her cowardice shamed her, but she was determined to overcome it. Pulling herself up straight, she strode across the main courtyard, making a beeline for her room. Rounding the final corridor, she’d almost made it when the figure of Mizuki lunged out in front of her.

“Hello Mistress!” he beamed, “I am so pleased to see you!” Mizuki was one of Nanami’s familiars, a youthful snake spirit who was constantly trying to impress her. “I don’t mean to delay you mistress, but there is something I must discuss with you.” His happy face took on a sombre expression as he raised his hands and pressed them together. Nanami knew this wouldn’t be good, she’d seen this stance before.

“Ok, what is it,” she said and braced herself for the usual poor delivery.

“Well mistress, as you know I am an animal spirit so my senses are, shall we say, greatly heightened compared to that of a human. I have noticed a distinct smell emanating from you in recent days that is of great concern to me. Tell me, do humans go into Heat?”

Nanami stared at him for a moment while she absorbed the full horror of his words. “WHAT!” she roared at him, her face flushing with anger.

“Mmmistress I didn’t mean to offend….”

“Get the hell out of my face you filthy little prick!” she screamed, slamming him in the head with her bag. As he crumpled to the floor, she fled down the corridor to her room, slamming the door behind her.

In a panic, Nanami flung her bag to the floor and undressed, rushing to the shower. “Oh crap, oh crap,” she muttered as she fumbled with the shower taps. Blasting herself with cold water, she gasped and tried to adjust the temperature but her hands were trembling. She stayed under the water for some time, letting it wash away her tears. _I’m doomed_ , she thought. _Everyone must know._

Sometime later she emerged from the bathroom, having drowned herself thoroughly and used half a bottle of body wash. She sat down heavily on the end of her bed. Tomoe was an animal familiar too – a fox, so in all likelihood his sense of smell was the equal of Mizuki’s. The image of the swan and the duck came to her mind, only this time the duck had waves of odour emanating from it. The swan looked unimpressed.

Flopping back on her bed, Nanami glanced sideways at her bedside table where her laptop sat. She had planned to turn it on and look at the information Kei had sent to assist with her romantic endeavours, but there was no way she would be doing that now. She would probably reek to the heavens. Grabbing her phone out of her bag, she squeezed the off button so angrily the case nearly split.

Her musings were interrupted by a quiet knock on her door.

“Hello Nanami, would you like to join me for dinner? We are all alone tonight and I could do with some company,” said Mikage.

_Thank god, both Tomoe and Mizuki aren’t here _, she thought. “Sure I’ll be out in a minute,” she answered calmly. At least Mikage wasn’t an animal spirit, so there shouldn’t be any embarrassing comments from him.__

____

____

When she arrived in the living room, a low table had been set out for a simple meal. Mikage was busying himself in the kitchen, so Nanami positioned herself on a large soft floor cushion. When he arrived carrying their meals, he rounded behind her.

“Are you okay? I believe Mizuki made a fool of himself this afternoon and may have upset you”. Nanami couldn’t meet his eyes. “He’s prone to exaggerating things. His heightened senses apply to all humans, not just you. Imagine what it must be like going into town for him?”

Mikage placed their meals on the table, settling himself onto a cushion close to Nanami. He started to eat, letting his words sink in. Pausing between mouthfuls, he added, “The same applies to Tomoe. For animal spirits, the world is a kaleidoscope of sounds and smells.”

Nanami considered what it must be like to be able to sense so much. It sounded amazing, but when she thought about visiting a highly populated area, she was suddenly glad to just be human.

“Thank you. I don’t know how I ever got by in your absence,” she said quietly. They finished their meal in in peaceful silence, a welcome relief from the dramas of the day.

As she got up to leave, Mikage approached her and took her hand. He held it lightly between both his palms, a surprising gesture she had not seen before. “I owe you an apology. I’ve been, shall we say, interfering in your personal affairs.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, looking perplexed.

“Well, I thought to play the role of a parent, shielding you, which was foolish of me. You are old enough to make your own choices.” He patted her hand gently and then made a somewhat hasty exit, looking slightly embarrassed.

Feeling too tired to analyse one of Mikage’s mysterious speeches, Nanami retired to her room. Settling down to watch a movie on her laptop, she fell asleep well before it ended.

*****

Blinking in the darkness, Nanami woke in the early hours of the morning. Wrapping herself in a kimono which she used as a dressing gown, she staggered out into the corridor. The night air was cool against her skin as she stepped out onto the long veranda that wrapped itself around the building. Savouring the peace and quiet, she leaned against one of the large oak beams that supported the roof and peered up at the night sky. The stars glittered brightly in the velvety blackness.

Suddenly a pair of long arms wrapped around her from behind. Startled, she gasped and let go of the beam, throwing one of her hands back… into Tomoe’s face.

“Hello Nanami,” he whispered softly. She tried to return his greeting, but all that came out was a murmuring sound. “I have missed you,” he whispered, nuzzling into her neck. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest and her face was beginning to burn.

_Oh crap_ , she thought. _He’s really caught me off guard..._

Moving his head up, he whispered softly into her ear. “I believe Mizuki made an idiot of himself today. Do not let his words bother you.”

Finding her voice, she managed to stammer out, “I don’t think he meant any harm, he’s just a really poor communicator….”

Suddenly he spun her around in one smooth movement. Even in the dim light, she could see his large blue eyes staring straight at her. Transfixed, she could do nothing but stare dumbly back. His long white tail was flicking back and forth steadily behind him, the thick soft tip almost reaching around to touch her.

“I thought I should keep some distance from you, I apologise for that,” he whispered in the darkness.

Nanami could feel a lump forming in her throat, her muscles starting to tense. Trying to sound nonchalant, she whispered, “It’s okay really, I understand, Mikage explained….” Her words trailed off as he leaned down and touched his cheek to her forehead. _Oh man, he’s going to feel my face burning _, she thought.__

His hands reached behind her, pulling her close. “I cannot stay away from you any longer,” he whispered before touching his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. She could feel his breath playing over her skin, the sensation was incredible.

His arms were wrapped around her now, enveloping her. She didn’t want this to end, but she knew it would soon. Suddenly she realised that her hands were clasped in front on her, pressed between their chests. In spite of her nervousness, she gingerly unfolded them and placed her palms against the front of his long robe. She thought of Kei’s words, _he’ll take anything you dish out to him… _gingerly she slid her hands into the folds where the fabric crossed and found his warm skin beneath. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the sensation of her fingers on his bare flesh.__

_He’s so beautiful…._

Suddenly his lips left hers. She felt one of his hands slide down her back, over her bottom and lift her up. Making a small yelp of surprise, she felt the hardness of the oak beam suddenly on her back. Her feet were off the ground. Instinctively she took her hands from the folds of his robes, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Blinking in surprise, she almost said his name before his mouth closed over hers in a full kiss. His legs had slid between her thighs, pinning her against the beam. Mesmerised, she drank in the sensation of his mouth dancing over her lips. _Wow, this feels so good_ …. She clutched at the back of his neck, pressing her fingers into his hair. Then his tongue started to touch the inside of her mouth, his large canine teeth pressing into her lips. _Oh my god…_

He kissed her hungrily for what seemed like an eternity. All Nanami could do was clutch the back of his neck and hold on for dear life. They had moments of passion in the past but they were fleeting, brief responses to dire situations. This was different. He hadn’t just saved her from the clutches of a demon, this was pure desire. It was terrifying and exhilarating in a completely different way.

She realised that parts of her were tingling, almost aching like they never had before. Her longing for him in this way had always been a muted thing, sparked rarely and short lived. What she was feeling now was for more intense, like a fire catching hold in the forest.

Tomoe was breathing heavily now and she could sense his arousal. She thought sadly that their passionate encounter would end soon, when he moved her slightly higher…

Bringing his hips fully up against her groin, she suddenly felt the hardness of his erection. She gasped at the contact and his lips left hers. He moved both hands to her bottom and started moving his hips in a slow, rhythmic motion. The tingling in her groin ramped up to a hard, throbbing sensation.

Her legs, dangling in mid-air, were starting to twitch. All she could think to do through the haze of her mind was wrap them around him. As her feet found each other, she could feel them catching in the long silky strands of his tail. _Oh crap_ , she thought, _bad idea…_

Then her attention was consumed by his mouth closing on her neck. His tongue started dancing over her skin and he made a low, soft growl. She felt it vibrate through her body, creating an almost painful tingling sensation down her spine.

Nanami stifled a gasp, pursing her lips together. She’d been trying not to make any noise in the dead quiet of the night. Any sound would have to two attendants of the shrine – tiny spirits in the form of small children – dashing out to see what was causing it. Tomoe’s attentions were becoming too much for her, she wasn’t used to it and had no control over how her body was reacting.

Suddenly aware of how they must look, she started to panic. Tomoe seemed to sense it and stopped moving. Lifting his head up, he sucked in a deep breath of cool night air. His tail whipped from side to side, tangling even more in her legs….

Suddenly a wave of bright light blinded her and then it was gone.

Blinking in the darkness, Nanami felt waves of cool air moving over her legs. The hardness of the wooden pole was replaced by the sensation of cool soft grass against the back of her kimono. As her eyes adjusted, she could see the silhouettes of cherry blossom trees against the dark sky. They were in the orchard on the far side of the grounds.

Tomoe had placed her effortlessly on the ground; she hadn’t even noticed the change in position. Involuntarily, Nanami let out a sigh of relief and released his neck from her grip, letting her arms flop into the cool dark grass. She realised the burning sensation on her face had spread to her whole upper body. _I must look a fright, thank god it’s dark_ , she thought to herself.

His warm lips touched the centre of her chest. Suddenly she realised her kimono was completely open at the front, the belt having slipped off. Except for her arms she was naked, her legs still wrapped around Tomoe’s waist. She brought her hands up in a futile effort to cover her chest, but his head was there now…

Tomoe’s tongue touched her skin and glided sideways, finding a nipple. A shot of pleasure reverberated through her body and she gasped, tensing up. Without thinking, she grabbed his head with both hands. His large, velvety soft ears were flat against his head.

His tongue made circles around her nipple, setting off waves of intense sensation. Pressing her lips together, she muffled a moan. This was too much, she wasn’t prepared for it. A well of anxiety started to pool underneath the waves of pleasure, making her squirm. She grabbed his ears, preparing to pull his head off her chest.

Sensing Nanami’s discomfort he stopped, suddenly sitting upright. In the dim light she could see his silhouette against the night sky, his ears now alert. His hands found hers, holding them together against her chest.

They stayed like this for what felt like an eternity. She could hear his breathing slowing down and felt a wave of relief. Her own body had started to calm, the cool night air providing welcome respite. It felt good to be holding hands, a familiar contact that made her feel secure.

Nanami’s mind started to focus and she realised her legs were still wrapped around him, her feet tangled up in his tail. She thought absentmindedly about how they must look and almost giggled, a strange but somehow comforting response.

Letting go of her hands, Tomoe leaned down and brought his face close to hers. She thought he was going to kiss her, but instead he whispered gently, “I can stop if you want me to”.

Nanami knew she should be relieved to hear his words, but instead she felt a pang of disappointment. Hadn’t she wanted this? Or had she? Her conflicted mind crept back to the point she had reached barely a minute ago. _A real woman would have loved that_ , she thought to herself. _I’m such an immature little girl…not a woman at all_. This was a man sitting over her, not some boy. The sharp sting of inexperience burned into her mind.

_Well that’s killed the moment_ , she thought, expecting him to politely unravel himself and resume his usual grace and control. But she hadn’t answered his question.

Tomoe lowered himself gently, lying on top of her completely. The contact broke Nanami from her unhappy thoughts. His tail was flicking back and forth again.

“Nanami,” he said in a questioning voice. She couldn’t find the words to say what she was feeling, instead staring blankly into his large beautiful eyes.

_You are so perfect_ she thought.

Nanami started to reach up, wanting to touch his face with her hands. She barely moved before his mouth was on hers.

Pushing her head back slowly, he kissed her deeply. This time she drank it in, wrapping her arms around his neck. They kissed passionately for endless moments, the warm sensations in her body returning rapidly. One of his hands stroked her bare flesh, gliding all over her breasts and stomach.

She felt his excitement building again, his breath becoming faster and deeper. Suddenly he stopped kissing her, pulling her arms from around his neck. _No, don’t make me let go…_

In one slow movement he slid backwards off her, letting his hands run down the length of her body, coming to rest on her hips. Mercifully, her feet came free from his tail. She felt his mouth on her navel, his lips gliding over her skin. She gasped at the sensation, trying not to panic and grab his head again. Slowly he drew circles with his tongue, moving inch by inch down her stomach, over her pubic bone, lower still, between her legs…

The waves of warm pleasure turned into a searing point. She could feel his tongue moving rhythmically, a hard pull of intense delight making her gasp loudly. Realising that she couldn’t control what her body was doing, she tried not to resist it.

Then pain started to register - his long nails were digging in. Nanami moved to grab his hands….

Relaxing his grip, Tomoe moved back up her body. His cheek touched hers; she could feel his hot fast breath against her face as he moved one hand underneath her bottom, lifting it slightly up. His other hand slid into the soft wet grass just underneath her arm.

As she reached up to hold onto his shoulders she felt something touch the outside of her vagina. She froze. Before she could process what was happening he had entered her, ever so slowly pushing in.

She held her breath as she felt the pressure of his cock being gradually driven into her. It was an unreal, alien sensation that couldn’t be compared to anything else.

He let out a gasp and dropped his head against her neck, then pushed again slowly, slowly, slowly….

Nanami sensed the incredible tension in his body as he fought to maintain control, his free hand gripping the ground so hard she could hear the soil being squeezed between his fingers. His teeth were clenched, his breath being forced through his nostrils in short bursts.

Entering her fully, he started to pull back slowly and enter again, and again, and again….

Her own body started to respond and she felt deep surges of pleasure start rolling through her. Pressing her lips together, she managed to stifle a wail. She was starting to lose control. Instinctively, she gripped her legs tightly around his waist.

Sensing her reaction his thrusting became rapid, pushing her body into the ground. She could feel the damp grass sliding underneath her kimono and reached out sideways with both hands, grasping futilely at the soft wet clods.

Then his nails started to dig into her bottom, the sharp pain taking her focus away from the incredible sensations she was feeling.

Suddenly he gasped loudly and pushed hard into her, his whole body twitching for a moment.

The world had faded away into a hazy blur. Nanami could hear her heart beating in her ears as blood thundered through her head. She couldn’t focus. Everything was coming through in waves. But she was lying still now.

A hand gently touched her cheek. The darkness of the night seemed to close in on her mind, enveloping her thoughts. _The dark, so quiet and serene, yes, let me go there…._


	2. A day to forget

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two is a day to forget, as everything starts to go horribly wrong. How could a night of passion cause so much drama?

Nanami slowly opened her eyes, blinking into the morning light. She was in her bed; the perfectly arranged sheets indicating she hadn’t moved all night. _I must have slept like a log_ she thought to herself. Wondering what time it was she turned her head slightly, peering sleepily at her bedside clock. It was ten in the morning _. A Sunday sleep in, how glorious!_

Basking in satisfaction, her mind wandered back to a dream she’d been having. It was something to do with Tomoe, something sexual and exhilarating. Vague recollections started rolling through her mind, delicious thoughts and sensations… She pulled the sheets over her head and closed her eyes, returning to the delights of her fantasy. Her dream had been so explicit, full of erotic delights; she was genuinely impressed with herself.  Grinning smugly, she let her mind roll back into endless pleasure… The sensation of his warm strong hands moving all over her skin, his body pressing against hers, his lips touching her skin, his…

From somewhere in the shrine came a dull thud. “Ugh,” she muttered, her train of thought broken. Stretching an arm out from under the covers, she fumbled around the bedside table until she found her phone.

Reluctantly, she pressed the on button. No doubt it would start beeping and popping with a string of annoying notifications. Holding the phone up in front of her face, she started to scan it for anything useful. An endless list of text messages from Kei was filling the screen. Putting the phone to her chest, she wondered whether to read them… ugh, it was useless. Better get it over and done with.

The most recent message was a rant about Nanami’s tardiness, something about her forgetting things. _What did I forget?_ She wondered. Scrolling through the texts, a realisation dawned on her. She was supposed to go to Ami’s for a girl’s movie night. Last night! Without thinking she hit the dial button to talk to Kei. It was ringing, ringing…

“What the hell happened to you last night!” yelled Kei down the phone. “I’ve been trying to get through to you for about fourteen hours!”

“Oh god, I’m so sorry,” Nanami mumbled, her mind still a haze. “We had some dramas here when I got home and I completely forgot.”

“What dramas? God, I was about to come to the shrine and see if you were still alive!” Kei blared angrily.

Nanami thought back to the meeting with Mizuki; the humiliation, her bag slamming into his head… “One of my familiars created a drama and I had to deal with it,” she mumbled, knowing it was an awful excuse.

“Well it must have been a pretty big drama to make you forget, the movie night was your idea,” she growled.

“Ugh. I feel awful, I’ll call Ami straight away,” Nanami said in a genuinely sorry tone. “I’m an idiot.”

“You sure are!” Kei replied, her tone less aggressive now. “Hey, are you still in bed?”

“Yeah, somehow I’ve managed to have an epic sleep in,” Nanami answered, somewhat amazed she had gotten away with it.

After a pause, Kei asked in a suspicious tone, “anyone there with you?”

“Oh yeah I’ve got a couple of guys with me, excuse me while I kick them out,” Nanami drawled.

“No, just one particular guy,” Kei snapped back crisply.

Nanami knew what Kei was inferring. “No, sadly it’s just me and the pillows. Hang on; I need to sit up.”

Nanami started to prop herself up, reaching for a large pillow. Suddenly she felt a sharp cramp in one of her legs and yelped, clutching at the sheets.

“Are you okay? Nanami?” questioned Kei down the phone.

“It’s okay; I just got a cramp cos I’ve been lying in one position all night.”

Suddenly, Nanami froze - she realised she was completely naked. She always wore something to bed, even if it was just a tee shirt. Stunned, she laid back down. _What the hell is going on?_ She thought anxiously. Peering over the sheets, she realised that there was something different about her room…

Where was her dressing gown? Turning her head, she spotted a neatly folded kimono on the floor next to her bed. Not her old one, this was a different colour and it looked brand new. There was a small jar on her bedside table she didn’t recognise. Something big was sitting on the dresser on the far side of the room, were those flowers?

“Flowers?”  Nanami said quietly, not realising she was speaking out loud.

“What did you say?” Kei asked incredulously.

Then she realised. Reality dawned on her - she didn’t have a dream last night about Tomoe, they were…

Slowly the phone slid out of her hand. “Holy crap,” she muttered to the empty room. Everything came flooding back, the details whirring through her head like a movie on fast forward.

For several seconds she lay there, letting it all sink in.

Eventually Nanami registered the sound of Kei’s voice still coming through her phone. Her heart was racing and her head was pounding; the shock had sent adrenaline pumping through her body.

Hands trembling, she picked up the phone. “I’m okay,” she said in a wavering voice.

“Oh thank god!” Kei exclaimed, “I thought you had passed out! What the hell is going on?”

Nanami couldn’t find the words to express what had happened. She lay there silently, trying to figure out how to tell her friend without creating a drama…

“Oh my god! You did it!” Kei roared down the phone. “I knew it! I knew it!” she exclaimed triumphantly. “Woohoo! I bumped into Tomoe at the markets not ten minutes ago and guess what? He actually smiled at me, first time ever! Then he asked me how I was! I was so surprised I could barely speak!”

Well the cat was out of the bag. Kei would see to it that the whole town knew by the end of the day.

“Please don’t go telling everyone,” Nanami stammered, “It only happened last night.”

Noticing the tone in her friend’s voice, Kei tried to calm herself down. “Okay but at least let me tell Ami, she needs to know why you didn’t make it last night.”

“I should tell her myself,” Nanami replied. Even though she was still in shock, she recognised the need for an apology.

“Leave it with me. I’ll give her a call; you sound like you need some time to yourself.” Perceptive as always, Kei knew her friend needed some space. “Tell you what, why don’t you see how you’re feeling this afternoon and give me a call. I can drop around and take you over to Ami’s if you are up for it.”

Still too astounded to think straight, Nanami agreed. “Okay then, take it easy and we’ll talk later,” Kei said quickly then mercifully hung up.

Nanami put her phone down and lay silently, trying to process the thoughts screaming through her head _. Dear god, that was real._

After a few minutes, she realised she would have to get up and face everyone. Did they know what she had been up to? Impossible to tell.

Carefully she sat up, no cramp this time. Her lower back was a bit sore, but otherwise she seemed fine. Sliding her legs sideways out of the bed, she felt the muscles protest but nothing too dire. The kimono was within reach now so she grabbed it, slipping her arms into the sleeves. She knew immediately it was made from pure silk, the incredibly light fabric almost floating on her skin.

Slowly she stood up, getting her balance. Thinking about what to do next, she suddenly felt dampness… Eyes bulging, she barrelled for the door.

Safe within the sanctuary of the locked bathroom, Nanami dove into the shower. The warm water soothed her mind while she recalled the events of the evening.

Reaching for the body wash, she felt a sting of pain from her bottom. Twisting around, she saw a crescent of small red marks and a deep puncture. Alarmed, she inspected the wound… it was already healing. That was a relief. Thinking back, she realised how she had acquired the injury. Rather than being upset, she found herself smiling. She had made Tomoe lose control. That made her feel very, very smug.

Dashing back to her room, she encountered one of the shrine’s attendants floating down the hall. She froze, expecting a comment, but all he did was greet her warmly then float away.

Carefully Nanami checked around her room as she entered – good, nobody was there. Anxiously she picked up the small jar next to her bed; it seemed to be an ointment of some type. Thinking about what it must have been used for made her cringe. Then she realised she had no recollection of getting into bed. In fact, there was no memory after a certain point in the evening’s events. Suddenly she felt very anxious, what had happened?

Then her eyes turned to the large bunch of white and purple orchids sitting neatly on her dresser. They were beautiful. Inspecting them, she was disappointed to find no note. _Damn, I finally get flowers and they don’t even have a stupid note_!

Something about the whole morning felt off. She had an uneasy feeling, her instincts pricking. The items in her room, the sleep in, the memory lapse… and where was Tomoe?

Glancing at her clock, she realised it was almost lunch time _._ Hastily she came up with a plan to meet at Ami’s with Kei, texting both girls to get their agreement. Dressing quickly, she tied her hair back loosely and grabbed her bag. She couldn’t shake the urge to get out of the shrine as soon as possible.

Nanami almost made it to the main door before she was cut off by Mikage. “Good evening Nanami!” he joked, smiling over the top of his spectacles. “Off for lunch?”

“Oh yes, I forgot about movie night with the girls so I have to make up for it,” she responded in an overly cheery tone.

“Oh that sounds nice. I hope you like the bracelet; it will prevent certain things from happening, if you know what I mean.”

“What?” Nanami stammered, completely taken off guard. Gently Mikage touched her wrist, turning it slightly. A tiny, fine sliver of thread glinted on her skin. She hadn’t even noticed it.

“You shouldn’t be rushing about, you need to heal,” he said coolly.

_Oh god he knows_ she thought, wincing with embarrassment and blushing furiously. “Oh it’s nothing,” she managed to mumble, edging for the door.

Suddenly Mikage grabbed her wrist and became very serious. “No Nanami, we can’t have him injuring you like that again. It’s unacceptable.”

She froze as the meaning of his words sank in.

“What are you saying?” she asked incredulously, unable to believe what she was hearing. “Are you forbidding Tomoe from going near me?”

“He made the decision himself after we talked,” Mikage replied smoothly, still gripping her wrist.

Dumbstruck, she stood there staring at him as her future hopes were reduced to ash. “You can’t do this!” she suddenly exclaimed. “It’s not your decision to make!”

“I told you Tomoe made the decision himself,” Mikage answered, his tone unwavering.

Hot tears started to well up; this was a nightmare. Why didn’t they talk to her? It was insane. She felt her fury building up inside, like water starting to boil.

“What have you done?” she yelled, trying to shake her arm free. Then she snapped. The shock of the morning’s revelations tipped her into a rage. “Fuck you! You fucking prick!” She screamed, wrenching her arm free. In a haze of tears, Nanami fled across the courtyard and down the stairs out of the shrine.

The trip to Ami’s house was a blur, her mind seething with anger and confusion at what had just transpired. Running to the point of exhaustion, she finally stumbled up the stairs and banged on the door.

Ami’s happy face was beaming as she entered, but she hardly noticed. Rushing past her, Nanami found a couch and fell into it. Then tears started to flow like a river. Sobbing uncontrollably, she covered her face with her hands.

“Oh my god! What’s happened?” Ami asked anxiously as Kei appeared from the kitchen. Nanami couldn’t speak, her grief was too fresh.

“What the fuck have they done to you?” Kei exclaimed, almost dropping a tray of tea. Rushing over, Kei fell to her knees in front of Nanami, grabbing both her hands. “Talk to me girl,” Kei pleaded, “Try and tell me what happened.”

Nanami tried to communicate, dragging in breath between sobs. “I’ve lost him,” she managed to gasp. “Mikage talked him into staying away from me.”

“Who are you talking about? Tomoe? What the hell?” Kei asked anxiously.

Trembling, Nanami took her hands from Kei’s, leaned to the side and gently lifted her skirt. Both the girls looked on, their eyes bulging in horror. “Oh no,” whispered Ami, thinking the worst.

Gingerly she pulled down the top of her underpants, displaying the crescent marks and deep wound on her bottom. Both girls leaned in to inspect, then a wave of relief broke across their faces. “Oh thank god!” breathed Kei, sitting back and clutching her chest. Ami flopped back in the couch, taking a deep breath and steadying herself against the cushions.

Nanami hadn’t expected them to be relieved when they saw her injuries. Suddenly distracted from her anguish, she stared questioningly at Kei.

“That’s it? He clawed your backside?” Kei asked in disbelief. “They’re freaking out over that?”

“Is it sore?” questioned Ami, reaching for a tissue. “It looks like you’ve made the big wound bleed.” Leaning forward, she gently placed the soft material over it. “Here, sit up,” she said taking Nanami’s arm.

Kei got up from the floor, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. “Well okay he injured you, but it’s not like he ripped your leg off. It’s a bit of an overreaction from both of them.” Suddenly she started smiling, her usual composure returning. “Damn Nanami, you just made love to a demon. You are a freaking legend!”

Nanami found herself smiling, happy beyond words to be in the company of her friends. Ami handed her another tissue, patting her on the shoulder. “We saw Tomoe at the markets this morning; I’ve never seen him so cheerful. I think you made him very happy.”

“Hell yes she made him happy, look at her backside!” Kei chimed, grabbing her own bottom.

Ami chuckled, quipping back, “Well I guess after 500 years you would be pretty pleased, not to mention relieved!”

“It’s a wonder she has any booty left at all!” Kei drawled, grinning devilishly. All three girls started to laugh as the dark mood lifted.

“Let’s have something to eat here for lunch, we’ve got plenty of food left over from last night,” Ami declared, heading for the kitchen. “Sounds good,” Kei responded, taking her place on the couch. Leaning close to Nanami she whispered “you’re probably a bit sore yeah? You should rest up here for the afternoon.”

“That would be great,” Nanami said quietly. She had no desire to return to the shrine.

The three girls ate lunch while Kei started to prod Nanami for the details of her encounter. She described the events broadly, drawing gasps and giggles from her audience. “Well he knows what he’s doing, that’s for sure,” Kei declared.

Ami began to ask a question when Nanami’s phone started to ring, instantly stopping the conversation. The only people Nanami ever phoned were sitting in the room. Suddenly anxious, Nanami stared at her bag.

Kei saw her reaction and moved swiftly to retrieve the phone. “Let me handle this. I think I know who it is.”

“But he never uses the phone,” Nanami said, a shiver of terror running though her.

Stalking to the end of the room, Kei answered the call. “Hello? No this is Kei. Yes she’s here. What do you want?” she responded crisply. Nanami could feel her heart in her throat, it had to be Tomoe.

“Yes she’s fine, apart from crying her heart out. Oh really. No you can’t speak to her; you and Mikage are Jerks. No she doesn’t want to see you. What? Like hell you are!” Kei’s face grew stormy, she was about to lash out…. “If you turn up here, Ami and I will take knives to that pretty face of yours! Go fuck yourself!” she yelled into the phone before hitting the disconnect button.

Ami and Nanami stared at Kei, stunned by her outburst. “Oh don’t get worried, I was just buying us some time,” she said coolly, waving her hand dismissively. “Let them sweat it out for a bit.” Sitting down again, she rubbed her chin absently while she thought. “Don’t go back for a while Nanami. Let them stew.”

Ami added, “My parents won’t be back until Tuesday, you’re welcome to stay here if you like.”

“Thanks, but it’s a school day tomorrow. I’ll have to go home sometime tonight.” Nanami was dreading it, but she had to return.

Kei looked disappointed, taking her thumb away from her chin. “Okay, but stay here and chill out with us until then. Hey Ami, you still have a couple of movies we didn’t watch?”

“Sure do!” Ami responded cheerily, “I know just the one to take our minds off this!”

The three friends spent the rest of the day watching movies, interspersed with conversation and snacks.

*********

As eight o’clock rolled around, Nanami knew she had to think about returning to the shrine. “Ugh,” she muttered as the credits rolled on the last film. “I’m going to have to get moving.”

“Let me drop you home then, I’ll get my boyfriend to pick us up,” Kei offered. Nanami quickly agreed, knowing she wasn’t in any condition to walk home.

By the time Nanami was dropped off it was almost nine o’clock in the evening. Receiving one last hug from Kei, she started to walk slowly up the steep stairs to the shrine. By the time she reached the top, the discomfort from her aching legs and wounds were igniting her anger.

As she entered the main hall, Mikage came dashing out from his rooms. “Oh Nanami you’re back!” He exclaimed, genuinely happy to see her. Fishing his glasses out from one of his many pockets, he placed them on his nose and approached her swiftly.

Nanami went straight on the defense, remembering how he had gripped her arm earlier that day. “Stay back!” she yelled, “don’t you dare touch me!”

Mikage stopped dead in his tracks, surprised by her response. “It’s okay, I just want to….”

Sliding her bag off her shoulder Nanami grabbed the strap, preparing to swing it into his head.

Mikage stepped back, registering her anger. 

“I’ve had enough of your shit for one day, get out of my way!” She yelled.

Hands raised, he retreated back towards his rooms. “Fair enough, I will let you be,” he said in a submissive tone before turning and scuttling away.

Stomping down the hallway, she opened the door to her room. The lights were on…

Sitting perched on the end of her bed, facing the door was Tomoe. He stared blankly at her, his large violet eyes wide with surprise.

Still seething, she realised she was still wielding her weapon of choice. In one smooth motion, she slingshot-ted her bag directly at his head. Stunned, he almost didn’t duck in time. Bolting to her bedside table, Nanami grabbed the small jar of ointment.

He started to speak when she suddenly leapt, flattening him onto the bed. Sitting astride him, she raised the jar over her head, ready to attack. “I hate you!” she yelled, the pain from her wound fuelling her rage. “I hate you both! I wish I’d never come here!” she cried out to the room, her voice so loud it echoed off the walls.

Preparing to strike, Nanami grabbed the front of his robe with her free hand. Then she paused - he wasn’t defending himself. His arms were splayed out on either side, not protecting him at all.  A look of quiet, almost peaceful resignation was written across his face and his eyes were now closed.

Nanami sat there for a moment, trying to decide what to do.

This was like kicking a kitten. It didn’t feel right. Slowly, she lowered her arm. Her rage started to subside as she realised he was willing to take the beating. Somehow that was satisfying.

Letting the jar roll onto the bed, the pain of her wound started to register. It was really hurting now. Wincing, she moved her hand to touch it…

His hand grabbed the edge of her skirt, his eyes slightly open now. “I’m so sorry Nanami,” he said quietly, his voice thick with emotion.

“I’m fine!” she growled, not wanting to show any weakness.

Without warning, he let go of her skirt and slowly moved his hand up her thigh. She froze instantly, unable to comprehend his intentions. His hand slid beneath her underpants, finding the wound on her bottom.

“You’re bleeding,” Tomoe said quietly, his eyes now open. He sat up, wrapping his free arm around her. In one smooth movement he picked her up, moved off the bed and stood up. Nanami’s feet found the floor and he let go... 

He barely made contact with her executing the move, his eyes not meeting hers. In the blink of an eye he had left the room.

Nanami found herself standing alone, her mind a confusion of unrequited anger and sadness. The brief contact had completely fazed her. She didn’t know whether to continue being upset with him or start regretting her outburst.

Remembering her wound, she lifted the back of her skirt to inspect the damage. Blood had soaked through into her underwear. “Oh crap,” she mumbled, heading for the drawers to find a fresh pair of knickers. Carefully she removed the ones she was wearing then started to think about where to put them.

Suddenly the soiled underpants were out of her hand; she was scooped up and placed on the bed face down. “What are you doing? Stop flinging me around like a rag doll!” she protested, trying to speak through a face full of pillows.

“Please stay still,” Tomoe stated softly.

_Well this is humiliating_ she thought to herself as he tended to her wound, her backside on display to the room. A sharp stinging sensation made her suck in air. She tried to turn her head to see what was happening, but it was no use. Her anger had dissipated, replaced by a feeling of sullen resignation.

Quietly sulking she tried to think of something to say. The room was silent, but she couldn’t find the words to fill the empty space. Then she felt the fabric of her skirt touching the back of her thighs again. _Thank god, he’s finished_ she thought.

Expecting him to leave, she resolved herself to the sad reality that he was never going to touch her again. Well, not like he had last night. It wounded her to the core. She would never see him lose control again. Closing her eyes, she felt the exquisite pain of rejection. She remembered the time all those months ago when she had declared her love for him, only to be spurned and dropped off the side of a building. This felt the same, she wanted to die and end the suffering…

Suddenly she felt his arms slide underneath her body to envelop her. His head nestled into the side of her neck, his breath soft against her skin. She could smell him; feel his weight against her back… It was pure pleasure.

Relieved beyond imagining, she couldn’t stop the words coming out…. “I love you so much it kills me,” Nanami mumbled into the pillows.

“I’ll love you forever, until you can’t stand it,” Tomoe whispered back.

They lay there together, unwilling to move and break the perfection of the moment.

Eventually Tomoe slowly lifted himself up, moving to sit on the edge of her bed. “Well, we are going to need this,” he said, placing something on her bedside table.

Perplexed, Nanami turned carefully onto her side. Next to her lamp was a small green stone, glittering with an eerie light.

“It’s a sound stone, it works like a shield. Any noise made within several feet of it cannot be heard by anyone outside its range,” Tomoe explained. “This one belongs to Mikage, but I’ve requisitioned it.”

Nanami blinked at him, unable to grasp his meaning.

“Can I stay with you tonight? I don’t want to leave your side.”

He was looking directly at her, straight into her eyes. Normally this would fluster her, but right now it gave her great relief. “Um, sure,” she muttered, trying to measure his intentions.

“I have to tell you about something, but it can wait until tomorrow. There’s been enough drama for one day.”

“You can get changed now if you want,” he said smoothly, taking his eyes from hers and gracefully moving off the bed.

Blinking, Nanami suddenly felt embarrassed. There was no way she was going to undress in front of him, even if he had just tended a wound on her backside. She still had a shred of dignity left and she was going to hang on to it.

Slowly she levered herself off the bed, moved to retrieve her dressing gown and headed for the bathroom.

Locking the door, she felt a wave of relief wash over her. Leaning heavily on the bathroom cabinet, she stared at herself in the mirror. Her mind rolled through the events of the last twelve hours; the pain, the tears, the laughter…. It had been a big day.

Quietly Nanami crept back to her room, a mild sense of anxiety filling her mind. Was he still there? How should she handle this?

It was much darker as she entered, the only light coming from her bedside table lamp. Was he in her bed?  No - hers was gone, replaced by a much larger platform bed. _Well nothing surprises me anymore_ she thought, deciding not to care about where it came from.  Inspecting the room, she realised she was alone and quickly found her pajamas.

Slipping into the bed, she glanced around... Where was he? After a short while she relaxed as exhaustion started to overcome her. She really needed some sleep. Then she felt the bedding move beside her…

Tomoe nestled up against her, wrapping an arm around her body. Suddenly she tensed up - he wasn’t wearing anything. “Don’t be concerned, I won’t try anything. You need to heal,” he whispered, his head right next to hers.

Somewhat relieved and slightly disappointed, Nanami relaxed a little. This was going to take some getting used to.

Feeling rather awkward, she trawled her mind for something to say. “Oh, I’m sorry I threw my bag at you, not to mention the um, jar bashing thing and oh, I’m sorry Kei abused you…”

“She’s a good friend, she protects you well. I like her,” he quietly interjected. “Although I won’t be going near her anytime soon, she may stab me,” he added, a small smile crossing his face.

“Oh, she wasn’t serious, she…” Before Nanami could continue, he leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips.

Her anxiety evaporated as she lost herself in the sheer joy of feeling his lips touch hers.  She had been afraid he wouldn’t come near her, terrified he wouldn’t touch her again. It was painful to the point of ecstasy, an awful agonizing sensation…  

Without thinking, she ran her hand straight up the back of his neck and pressed his mouth into hers, kissing him fiercely. _I just can’t get enough of this_ she thought _; I want to consume him…_

Suddenly he pulled his mouth away and dropped his head down onto her shoulder. “Please don’t do this to me,” he pleaded quietly. “Please don’t.”

Realising what she was inciting, Nanami reluctantly let go of his neck.

As he settled back down next to her she felt a sense of triumph - he wasn’t afraid to touch her. Relief washed over her like a slow deep wave, drowning her fears.

Contented and happy, Nanami quietly reveled in the moment. Her horrible day had ended very well. Her eyes grew heavy as exhaustion finally pulled her down into a deep sleep. She could still smell him, feel him…such bliss.


	3. Sake and splinters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter three reveals some dark truths, shared over a bottle of sake. But this isn’t just any sake and the effects are very surprising….

Nanami woke to the sound of rain falling softly on the roof of the shrine. Realising it was Monday her heart sank at the prospect of dragging herself to school on such a dark damp day.

Still exhausted from the weekend, she quickly decided to stay home and recuperate.

Lazily she slid her phone off the bedside table, texting Ami and Kei to let them know they wouldn’t be seeing her today. Kei was the first to answer, agreeing that she should get some rest.

As she lay in bed, it dawned on her that Tomoe wasn’t there. Rolling onto her side she stretched out a hand, running it across the creases in the bedding where he had lain. It felt so good to know that he had been close to her all night, watching over her.

Worming her way across the bed on her stomach, she centred herself in the place where his body had been. She could smell him all over the bedding, such a wonderfully comforting scent. Closing her eyes she pressed her face into his pillow and breathed in deeply, kneading the crisp sheets between her fingers.

“Good morning,” Tomoe said, watching the scene from the bottom of the bed.

Nanami turned her face slightly, glancing at him with one eye to confirm his presence.  Mortified beyond measure, she made a vain attempt to pull the sheets over her head _._

Looking extremely amused, he lowered himself onto the bed and sidled up gracefully next to her. “Were you looking for something?” he said musically, obviously enjoying her embarrassment. Lying down sideways to face her, he took her closest hand from the sheets and placed it on his chest.

Realising that a graceful recovery was impossible, Nanami decided to play along and see what happened. “Well I seem to have found it, just let me check.” Repeating a move she had already found successful, she slid her hand under the front of his long blue robe where the fabric crossed over his chest.

Tomoe’s gaze fixed on her one visible eye, staring intently at her.

_This is a dare_ she thought to herself.

Slowly, she moved her hand down his chest, over his stomach, feeling his firm warm skin beneath her hand. His body felt amazing; his flawless perfection was completely mesmerizing at such close range.

Glancing down she wondered how to get underneath the belt fastened at his waist. Looking back up, she was surprised to see his eyes growing wide and his smile evaporating.

“Nanami?” he muttered, looking completely astonished at her behaviour.

Feeling a sense of triumph, she continued to slide her hand down underneath his belt, keen to see how far she could reach. Her heart started to quicken as she realised this was the first time she had actually managed to touch him like this. Her fingertips felt hair as she managed to get her hand right down…

Suddenly he grabbed her arm, pulling it swiftly away as he sat up.

Looking up, Nanami recognised the angry frown now painted across Tomoe’s face. She’d seen it many times; he was very displeased with her.

“What on earth are you doing?” He barked, holding her arm by the wrist.

Sitting up to face him she exclaimed, “What does it look like! Do I need to spell it out for you?” Now Nanami was angry too.

“What are you playing at? Do you have any idea how dangerous your actions are?” Tomoe wasn’t just angry now, he almost looked upset. This was a rare event; he never showed this side of himself unless he really couldn’t help it.

“I could kill you Nanami. Do you realise that?”

Not comprehending his meaning, her anger grew. “Oh yes that’s right, you’re a big scary demon. Excuse me if I don’t cower in terror.”

“Don’t you understand you fool? Can’t you remember anything from the orchard?” he said incredulously.

“What, Saturday night?” she drawled, insulted at being called foolish. She hated it when he talked to her like this. “You call that dangerous? What, all thirty seconds of it?”

Suddenly he let go of her arm and straddled her, bringing his face up against hers. Nanami closed her eyes and flinched, feeling the heat of his breath on her skin. He was furious.

“Is that what you would like?” He whispered, his voice wavering with barely contained rage. “Do you really want me to fuck you to death?”

Then it dawned on her. Small details from their passionate encounter flashed through her mind; his hand ripping into the ground, his teeth grating… He had exercised an enormous amount of control that night.

“Tomoe, I thought you wanted me to touch you, please,” Nanami whimpered.

Swiftly he got up and disappeared from her room. Stunned, she sat there trying to process what had just happened.

Eventually Nanami crawled off her bed, stood up and took a deep breath. “That went well,” she said to the empty room. Now her mood matched the weather outside.

******

Having decided to stay home, Nanami still proceeded with her usual morning routine. After bathing she slipped on her beautiful new kimono, feeling a pang of guilt as the fabric glided softly over her arms.  She really hadn’t considered what it must have been like for Tomoe that night, she was too concerned about herself. The fact that she hadn’t picked up on some glaringly obvious details really bothered her now.

There was also the issue of the memory gap between the orchard and the following morning, something which had really started to play on her mind. A lot more had happened then she was aware of and she sensed that it couldn’t be good. She had questions that needed answers.

Solemnly she wandered into the kitchen, seeking a strong cup of tea. As she waited for the pot to steep, Mikage game ambling in.

Surprised to see her, he pulled up abruptly before he got too close, his glasses almost toppling from his face. “Nanami, it’s so good to see you,” he blurted out.

“It’s okay, I won’t hit you today,” she said smiling sadly. “I don’t have the energy left to fight anyone.” Pausing for a moment she added, “I think we need to talk.”

“Yes, that would be good. Shall we go and share that pot of tea? The weather is awful and I need something to warm up.”

The rain was thundering down outside now, sending waves of cold damp air wafting through the shrine. Together they retired to a small side room where a collection of large cushions dotted the floor.

Settling down next to a low table, they quietly arranged themselves while Mikage poured their tea into small delicate cups. “Not going in today? That’s probably for the best.”

“I feel exhausted and the weather is terrible,” Nanami responded, working up the courage to ask him for some hard truths. “Okay, please tell me about Saturday night,” she said, trying to sound calm. “I know I haven’t been told all the details.”

Taking in a breath, Mikage sat back and regarded her. “Very well, it’s probably best you hear it from me. Nobody else in this household will say it well.”

“We’re pretty crappy when it comes to talking about things aren’t we?” Nanami observed, trying to manage a smile.

“If poor communication was an Olympic sport, we would all make the finals,” Mikage joked, pleased to see her trying to lighten the mood.

“Alright then,” he said, pausing to consider his words. “Sometime in the early hours of Sunday morning, Tomoe carried you into the main hall. You were both covered in blood. Everyone went into a panic, it was terrible. He put you to sleep so you couldn’t witness it.”

Nanami’s eyes widened as she imagined the scenario. Now she understood Mikage’s behaviour, Tomoe’s anger…

“Please don’t be too alarmed,” Mikage continued. “We managed to stop the bleeding quickly and the healing ointment worked very well. Otohiko came to the rescue with that, he’s a marvel sometimes.”

The thought of a room full of people attending to her wounded, bloody backside made Nanami cringe. She wanted to crawl under one of the cushions and hide there for eternity. “Ugh, this is so embarrassing,” she said, covering her face with her hands. “I think I need something stronger than tea.”

Mikage chuckled, “Well you are seventeen, I suppose it can’t hurt. I’ll go get some sake; it should help with the shock.”

Nanami barely noticed as he left the room and returned with a ceramic vial. It was smaller than the usual brews Mizuki made, sporting a shiny black ribbon around its slender neck.  Pouring it swiftly into a small cup, Mikage passed it to her. Nanami took it and downed the contents in one gulp, holding it out for a refill. “I had a horrible feeling this would be bad,” she muttered.

“You’re taking it very well,” he answered quietly. “Tomoe was devastated, but he’s alright now,” he added hastily, knowing she would ask. “We’ve talked about it so you don’t need to have that conversation with him.”

Putting the sake cup down, Nanami stared at it as the shame of her earlier exchange with Tomoe burned into her mind. Dropping her head, she felt her chest tighten as a pang of guilt shot through her. “I behaved awfully this morning. I said some things to Tomoe that I shouldn’t have.”

“Oh Nanami, he’ll forgive you,” he said softly, smiling and patting her free hand. “You didn’t know the full story. His world revolves around you so everything will be fine.”

Pausing for a moment, Mikage added, “Mizuki doesn’t know anything about this, so you don’t need to be concerned about him. He’s still away visiting Unari.”

That was a relief. At least someone wasn’t around to witness the aftermath of her carnal adventures.

Mikage picked up the sake bottle and poured himself a cup, pausing momentarily before downing it in one gulp. “Okay, now we have to discuss something rather awkward.”

Still stunned from the recent disclosures, Nanami wasn’t sure if she could handle more humiliation. Before she could say anything, he ploughed on.

“Sex,” he blurted out before hastily pouring another cup and throwing it back.

Recognising how embarrassed he was, she suddenly felt the urge to laugh. The sake was rapidly starting to take effect. Leaning in she poured herself another cup before he could lodge a protest.

“This is a lot harder than I thought it would be,” he mumbled, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose with his forefinger.

“Sake?” she offered, pouring him another bowl.

His eyes were no longer meeting hers, fixed instead on the cushions in front of them. “Oh yes,” he said, quickly grabbing the cup and downing it. “Okay. Tomoe is incredibly adept at controlling his powers and holding shapeshift forms but when he’s with you in an um, well, heightened emotional state, he can’t seem to maintain it. I’ve discussed this with him and the solution to your problem is desensitisation. Put simply, he needs to get used to you, especially your, um, touch? If you, err, spend more time in um, close proximity to each other, in a manner of speaking, well he should be able to, um, manage not to err, harm you.”

Smirking furiously, Nanami nodded agreement. This was hilarious. She didn’t say a word, wanting him to continue with his inept dissertation.

Turning pink, Mikage noticed her amusement and tried to compose himself. “Oh stop grinning like that Nanami, this is serious,” he scolded in a vain attempt to regain some dignity.

Then she started laughing, covering her mouth with her hands to muffle the sound.

“Alright I’m done here,” Mikage declared, lurching unsteadily to his feet. “I think I picked one of Mizuki’s special sake brews, this is really going to my head. If he’s been lacing them with opiates again I’ll have his head.” Ambling off, he muttered something about rice cakes before disappearing from view.

Realising she was alone Nanami regarded the vial of sake. Picking it up, she could hear a small amount swishing around inside… Jumping to her feet, she headed for her room.

Changing back into her pyjamas she climbed into bed, positioning her laptop and pouring another cup.

Suddenly remembering it was a school day, she checked her phone for messages. Sure enough there was a text from Kei. She was telling everyone that Nanami had been attacked by a dog on Sunday. Nanami replied, thanking her for the cover and adding that a fox would have been more accurate.

The rain was still falling steadily outside so she put her headphones on, settling in to watch a show on her laptop. Sipping more sake, she completely forgot her woes as she lost herself in the unfolding story on the screen.

********

It was sometime in the afternoon when Nanami roused from her nap. Still propped up in bed with her headphones on and laptop running she took in a deep breath and stretched her arms. Rain was pelting down outside, its steady drumming filling the air.

“Wow, I still feel pretty whacked,” she said to herself, reaching for the bottle of sake…

It was gone from her bedside table. “Crap,” she muttered, wondering whether to go in search of some more.

“Looking for this?” Chided Tomoe, standing at the end of her bed wiggling the sake vial between his thumb and forefinger.

“Shit!” Nanami exclaimed, almost jumping out of the bed in fright. “That’s the second time you’ve done that today, you’re going to give me a heart attack!”

“Is this what you normally get up to when you stay home from school?” he stated, obviously unimpressed.

“Hey don’t blame me, Mikage and I went through that together.”

“What?” he exclaimed, “is that why he’s out in the rain gardening?”

Nanami had never seen Mikage gardening. Ever. Bursting into laughter, she slapped the keyboard of her laptop repeatedly with the flat of her hands.

Tomoe rolled his eyes and glided over to her dresser, depositing the sake vial out of her reach. “What on earth possessed him to give you alcohol?”

“We had a chat,” she answered, wiping her eyes. “It got a bit awkward so we had a drink.”

“In the middle of the morning? What the hell has gotten into you two? You’re too young to be drinking and he should know better,” Tomoe lectured, his tail flicking in wide arcs behind him.

Feeling affronted and still quite intoxicated, she snapped back. “Oh, so I’m too young to drink, but old enough to fuck?”

Tomoe’s mouth dropped open.

Roaring with fits of laughter, Nanami doubled up and rolled sideways, her laptop nearly toppling to the floor.

“For god’s sake, you sound like a witch,” Tomoe growled, but his words had no effect. He moved to pick up her laptop before it ended up on the deck. Perching on the bed next to her, he eyed her with a curious expression.

Eventually recovering herself Nanami rolled onto one side, propping her head up with one elbow to regard him. Dressed in a long dark blue robe, he really was a sight. “You know, you really are very beautiful,” she said, not the slightest bit of hesitation in her voice.

“And you’re drunk,” he stated flatly.

“No I’m not, this feels more like being high. They put me on Morphine in hospital once and this feels very similar. Damn that stuff was good.”

“Okay, I’m going to have words with Mikage about where we put the special sake in the future.”

“Party pooper,” Nanami mumbled, pouting fiercely while she tried to sit up.

Suddenly, she remembered their conversation earlier that day. A wave of remorse washed over her as she recalled what she had said. “Oh, I really need to apologise. I’m so sorry gorgeous, I was a prize bitch this morning. Oh I mean Tomoe, oh, whatever!”

Managing to get upright, she promptly flopped down into his lap, depositing her head directly underneath his face. Looking up, she immediately noticed his grimace. “Mikage told me what happened on Saturday night. It’s okay, I’m not angry or anything.”

Tomoe looked up and away, not wanting her to see his anguish. “Oh Nanami,” he whispered.

“We’ll get through this, we’ve survived much worse,” she said sagely, playing absently with his belt. “You almost died not long ago, remember that?”

Looking down at her, he managed a small smile. “Yes.”

Tilting his head slightly, his eyes softened as he studied her face. “You’re very interesting in this state. You’re not afraid to say anything.”

“Well usually I find you too intimidating to be completely honest with you,” Nanami stated, frowning at him. “You make a habit of belittling me and telling me how childish I am. I can’t just wave a magic wand and turn into a complete adult, it will happen over time.”

“I know,” he said gently. “I’m just a cranky old man.”

“You certainly are,” she said mockingly, “but you look hotter than hell.” She smiled at him, lifting her hand up to gently touch the side of his face. “You have no idea how incredible you are.”

Suddenly she noticed Tomoe was blushing. She felt a warm rush thrill through her body, such an indescribable feeling of joy and arousal.

Ending the moment, he looked up and away, almost sniffing the air. What was he looking for?

Nanami sighed; disappointed that she couldn’t keep his attention.

Taking in a deep breath, Tomoe looked down at her again. “I would like to take a look at your wound.”

“Sure!” she said, rolling out of his lap onto her stomach. “Knock yourself out.”

Resting her chin on the back of her hands, she savoured the sensation as he hooked his fingers under the top of her pyjama pants and pulled them down. She knew she was enjoying it way too much, but she didn’t care. The sake would be taking the blame for her behaviour later.

Gently he pulled the dressing off her wound, inspecting it carefully. “This has almost healed; I don’t think it needs to be covered anymore.”

“Thank god, I’m sick of getting the bandage wet in the shower,” Nanami mumbled, making a pretence of not caring.

She felt the sensation of his fingers on her skin, gliding over the bare flesh of her bottom. Closing her eyes, she focussed on the sheer pleasure of his touch. It was divine. She thought of his face blushing as she touched it moments ago, letting her mind fill with thoughts of making him lose control.

Nanami let out a sigh, completely lost in the moment.

Then she felt his lips touch her skin. Startled by the contact she twitched, goose bumps breaking out all over her. Momentarily she panicked, but then the fear dissipated.

His lips continued to caress her skin, sending waves of tingling pleasure shooting through her body. Then his tongue began to lick her flesh with long soft strokes, leaving behind warm wetness.

This was heaven.

“Damn you woman,” he murmured.

_Woman. I like that_ , Nanami thought happily.

One of his hands glided over the back her thighs, making her hair stand on end. Then it moved to her inner thighs, his long sharp nails pricking her skin. Turning her head slightly she quipped, “Hey watch those claws of yours.”

She received no answer, but the licking stopped. _Damn, I’ve put him off_ she thought, curling her hands into fists under her chin. Unable to see what was going on, Nanami thought of trying to turn over…

Ever so gently, his hand slid up under her, his fingers coming to rest just under her pubic bone. Her eyes bulged.

Slowly, two of his fingers separated, pressing into her. Then they started to move in a circling motion, gently massaging her.

Nanami’s eyes rolled back into her head as she felt waves of pleasure start to roll through her body. Her lower regions started to feel heavy and warm. Feeling the urge to push herself against his hand, she started to grind her hips into the bed.

Tomoe slid his other arm underneath her, clenching his fist to avoid scratching her. His face was pressed against her and she could feel the heat of his cheek against her bottom. She thought of him blushing again…

He pressed his fingers into her harder, cradling her lower body to prevent his nails from digging in.

Every part of her body started to tighten as she strained to push herself against his fingers. Clenching her teeth, she grabbed the sheets and wrenched them up under her chin. As the pleasure increased to an intense, pulling sensation she pressed her face into the bedding. It felt so good it almost hurt. She started to moan as it built into a hot, tingly ache. Desperately she tried to plough herself into him, pushing harder and harder.

Then she crossed the line…

The world fell away as an explosion of blinding pleasure coursed through her entire body. She screamed into the sheets, over and over again.

It consumed her completely, sucking up every ounce of energy. Nothing else mattered; the universe had disappeared behind a wall of infinite, mind numbing bliss. It rolled on endlessly like a vast ocean of deep surging currents.

Slowly, the waves of pleasure started to ebb and reality came flowing back into her mind. She realised her heart was hammering so hard it was uncomfortable. Trying to calm herself, she sucked in ragged breaths.

Numbly Nanami became aware of her surroundings again, realising where she was and what she was doing. Her body felt like a wet noodle.

Tomoe was still hanging onto her, unmoving.

Vaguely embarrassed, she realised she’d just had an orgasm. So that was what all the fuss was about.

Nanami felt his arm slide out from underneath her hips while his hand gently withdrew from underneath her. Then she heard the sound of claws on wood – Tomoe was gripping the side of the bed with one of his hands.

She could still feel his warm face pressed against her bottom; he hadn’t changed position. Then she felt the bed start to move, a slow deep motion.

Tomoe started to murmur, she could feel the vibration through her entire lower body. His breath began to blow across her bare skin, gradually becoming harder and faster.

Suddenly she heard a loud cracking sound. Twisting her head, she managed to peer down and find the source. Her eyes grew wide as she saw Tomoe’s hand crushing the side of the wooden bed. His fingers had torn straight through the planks, shattering them into splinters.

Stunned, all Nanami could do was witness his unchecked power. Now she understood why he had been so upset earlier that day.

Then he started to gasp loudly as the bed thudded against the wooden oak floor. The hammering got louder and louder, sending vibrations through the air.

She could feel him pressing her lower body into the mattress, his attempts to avoid crushing her dashed by the destruction of the bedside. It was starting to become uncomfortable when he suddenly rammed the bed, sending a thundering crack through the air. He shrieked like an animal being attacked, making Nanami twitch with fright.

Then the cacophony of noise and destruction ceased. She saw his hand twitch, then go limp in the tangle of broken wood, his long elegant fingers unscathed.

“Holy shit,” Nanami mumbled quietly to herself. All she could hear was the heavy breathing coming from behind her and the thundering rain. Afraid to turn around, she lay there unsure of what to do.

Suddenly she heard the sound of footsteps approaching down the main corridor. Nanami’s eyes flicked to her side table, locating the green sound stone. Had they been heard? Rain was still pouring down outside, but it probably hadn’t dimmed the reverberations that would have travelled through the floorboards. Then the screen door to her room started to open….

In the blink of an eye Tomoe moved, jumping up to perch on the side of the bed. Nanami felt the back of his long blue robe settle over her bare skin, covering her. Positioned between her and the door, she couldn’t see who was there.

“Everything alright in here?” chimed the voice of Mikage.

“All good,” Tomoe answered back, his voice calm and even.

Nanami could see him now side on. The pale skin of his neck was glistening with sweat and his hairline was damp. Apart from that he seemed normal and still appeared to be fully dressed.

Overwhelmed with awe, fear and desire all she could do was stare mutely at him. Her brain was going into a meltdown trying to process the conflicting thoughts battling for dominance in her addled mind.

“Very good, I’ll be off to find my shovel then,” Mikage said, closing the screen door.

_Shovel?_ Nanami thought. _I’m in the twilight zone._

She suddenly wanted to laugh hysterically, but her brain couldn’t get her body to co-operate. Vaguely she realised she was losing it, the opiate laced sake still coursing through her veins.

Staring at Tomoe, she watched mutely as he closed his eyes, parted his lips slightly and took in a slow, deep breath. His tail flicked once, landing across the side of Nanami’s face. She lay there, peering through the tendrils of white fur.

He turned to look at her then, noticing where his tail was.

Nanami’s eyes locked with his and she held her breath, clenching her teeth. _So very pretty, so very frightening, so…_

His tail flicked out of the way and he leaned towards her, moving to touch her face. Her eyes darted to the incoming hand and she flinched. Briefly he paused before moving his hand very slowly to touch her arm instead.

“Hey it’s okay,” he said softly, stroking her arm.

Nanami pressed her eyes shut and sucked air in through her nose, trying to calm herself. She couldn’t get the image of his hand shattering solid wood out of her mind.

She felt the bed move and then she was in his arms. He had scooped her up into his lap, cradling her against his body. Feeling the warm damp skin of his shoulder against her cheek she let out a sigh. She could feel his heart beating, still fast and strong. Despite his apparent calm, his body was twitching ever so slightly.

“Is this the part where you kick me out?” he said quietly.

Nanami realised she needed to get a grip. _Think_ she commanded herself, _calm down and focus_.

She knew how powerful he was, always had, from day one. She’d seen him do a great many things that were far more deadly than smashing a piece of wood. He would never intentionally harm her. All their arguments, all his threats, were just bluster.

Mikage said Tomoe’s world revolved around her. _Think about him, not about yourself…_

She was terrifying him right now.

Nanami wrapped her arms around his chest and squeezed him tightly. “Of course not,” she mumbled as she pressed her face into his shoulder. “I love you.”

His arms wrapped around her. “I’m so sorry I scared you,” he whispered. “I lost control.”

She thought about how much she liked him losing control and smiled. This was exactly what she had wanted. If some furniture got destroyed, it was well worth it.

“Well you better get me a new bed or I’ll come and sleep in yours,” she murmured.  His den was private territory, off limits to everyone. God only knew what was in there.

“What?” he said, astounded that she would even suggest it. Tilting his head to look at her face, he could see she was smiling.

“Gotcha,” Nanami said.

Raising one eyebrow, he regarded her for a moment before taking her head between his hands and kissing her.

She could taste the salty sweat on his lips, so delicious...the sake was starting to kick in again. Running a hand up the back of his neck, she wove her fingers into his damp hair.

_Damn, this feels so fucking good_ she thought _I’d love to make him all sweaty like this again…_

Suddenly he pulled away, taking in a deep breath. “Okay, we better stop there. I’d rather continue this when you are sober.”

Frowning, Nanami pursed her lips and glared at him. This wasn’t fair.

Taking her by the waist he lifted her off his lap, placing her back on the bed.

“I need to find Mikage and get him inside. Try to behave. Oh, and put some pants on,” he said, a smile crossing his lips as he looked down at her nether regions.

Suddenly Nanami realised she had nothing on below the waist. “Oh shit!” she exclaimed, grabbing the sheets to cover herself.

Chuckling, he glided out of the room.

Nanami sighed and looked out through her windows at the rain falling outside. _Wow, that was pretty amazing_ she thought. Lying back down, she closed her eyes and let her mind wander back over what had just happened.

_I really must get my hands on more of Mizuki’s special sake…._

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	4. Faded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter four is the hangover from hell, but as the effects fade the relative peace starts to feel like the calm before a storm.

“Please stop shoving that in my face!” Nanami protested.

The shrine’s attendants had been fussing over her incessantly for hours, forcing her to consume the pots of tea being placed on the table next to her in endless succession.

Propped up on a long sofa in the television room, she was slowly recovering from her accidental bender earlier that day.

Across the room was a large pile of cushions under which lay the prostrated body of Mikage. He had buried himself a couple of hours ago, covering everything except his feet.

Both of them had been herded into the television room by Tomoe, who was well and truly tired of their unruly behaviour. An afternoon kitchen raid by the inebriated pair had resulted in a huge mess and a small fire.

“Please mistress, you must try to drink more,” one of the attendants pleaded, hovering in the air in front of her. “Master Tomoe said you must consume as much as you can.”

Grumbling to herself, Nanami pressed the small china cup to her lips, sipping the lukewarm tea. It tasted bitter, no doubt brewed from some strange herb that was meant to help her recover.

“Why don’t you pick on him,” she said, gesturing at the pile of cushions.

“Master Mikage is a deity so he will recover soon,” one of the attendants explained. “You, however, are human and will take much longer to improve.”

Nanami sighed and cast her eyes wearily over to the television, vaguely noting the show on the screen. She had been lying there, unwilling to move as her mind slid from euphoria into gloom. She felt like death warmed over.

Out of the corner of her eye she noticed someone enter the room. Expecting it to be Tomoe, she kept her attention fixed on the television screen. Sobriety had made her painfully aware of her uncharacteristic behaviour only hours ago and now she was deeply embarrassed.

“I see the temple harlot is still alive,” spat an angry voice. Stunned, Nanami turned to see the figure of Otohiko standing between her and the pile of pillows. Dressed in a hot pink jumpsuit and matching lipstick, the slender redheaded god scowled at her angrily. “It’s a wonder there’s any of you left now the fox is having his way with you.”

Stunned by the verbal assault, all Nanami could do was stare mutely at him.

“The temple harlot is your job isn’t it?” retorted Tomoe. Leaning languidly against the door frame, he regarded Otohiko with an intense stare. “What’s the matter, are you missing his taste so desperately after only one day?”

Infuriated, Otohiko spun around to face his aggressor. “Where is the replacement for our sound stone, you filthy piece of vermin.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be sourcing one too, or are you too busy trying to blow yourself?” Tomoe retorted, a small smile crossing his lips.

Otohiko hissed, lowering himself into an attack position. Tomoe responded in kind.

“Oh for heaven’s sake, stop it you two!” wailed Mikage. Poking his head through the pillows, he blearily regarded the two men. “If you are going to fight, take it outside!”

Otohiko turned to face the pillows, clasping his hands together and breaking into a wide smile. “Oh Mikage! I’m so glad to see you are recovering!”

“No thanks to you,” Mikage replied, propping himself up into a sitting position. “I have no doubt you commissioned Mizuki to make that dreadful concoction we drank.” Stuffing pillows behind his back, he regarded the slender redhead warily. “I hope that wasn’t intended for me.”

“Oh goodness no, it was going to be a gift for Ookuninushi! It’s his birthday soon,” said Otohiko, twiddling his thumbs and blushing furiously. Everyone knew about his crush on the god of wealth.

“Do you still have a burn for him?” drawled Tomoe from the door. “Were you planning on getting him wasted and seducing him?”

“Of course not! My gift was meant to show my, um, high regard for him!” Otohiko stammered, looking rather flustered.  

Mikage lowered his head and closed his eyes.

Nanami saw the sad resignation on Mikage’s face and felt a pang of sympathy for him. She’d always suspected there was more than just a friendship between the two men. To have it revealed in front of her in such an unpleasant way would be a humiliation.

Otohiko saw it too and made a desperate attempt to change his story. “Actually I was going to offer it to Princess Narukami as a trade for a sound stone! Really I was! She has a collection of them to hide the debaucheries she inflicts on her familiars!”

Mikage raised his head and glared at him. “I don’t care for your excuses, please leave. Both of you. Nanami and I don’t need to hear any more of this.”

Tomoe disappeared quietly from the door, followed shortly by a shamefaced Otohiko.

Nanami realised she still had a cup of tea raised to her mouth, having frozen still for the duration of the drama. Slowly she placed it on the table and glanced at Mikage, unable to find the words to express her sympathy for him.

“I’m sorry you had to hear that,” he said quietly, staring at the floor. Otohiko and I… well, you heard. I’ve tried to keep my distance from him over the years but he always finds his way back into my life.”

“It’s okay, I kind of guessed you two were more than just friends,” Nanami offered as compassionately as she could. “This is my entire fault really, I’m the reason we need another sound stone. I should have let things stay the way they were, it was nice and peaceful.”

“That’s not true,” he responded, looking up at her. “You and Tomoe were skirting each other like a pair of snipers, Mizuki was seething because he could sense the tension and Otohiko was creeping in here at all hours of the night.”

Nanami couldn’t help but smile at his reply. “Well at least we aren’t boring I suppose.”

“Very true.” Slowly standing, Mikage took a deep breath and collected the tea pot from the table next to Nanami. “I think you’ve been forced to drink enough of this.”

“Thank you,” she responded, “I think I might go to bed and get out of everyone’s way.”

“Me too,” he answered, “I definitely need to make myself scarce.” Pausing to think he added, “You should probably go to school tomorrow, Mizuki might be back and there is going to be hell to pay when he returns.”

“Thanks for letting me know, I’ll definitely go.” She had no desire to be around for that confrontation.

Waving a vague farewell with his free hand, Mikage weaved his way out of the room.

Slowly levering herself off the couch, Nanami managed to get upright and lurch over to the television controls. Just as she hit the off button she was swept off her feet by Tomoe.

“Time for bed is it?” he said softly, carrying her out of the room.

Too tired and ashamed to respond she nodded agreement, burying her face in his shoulder.

Placing her in bed, he gently touched her forehead with the palm of his hand. “You’ve cooled off, that’s a good sign,” he said quietly. “I’d recommend another day at home, but I have to agree with Mikage that you should be absent from the shrine tomorrow.”

Slowly he placed his hands either side of her shoulders, leaning right over her. “I’m going to be scarce for the next couple of days; I have to locate a sound stone before Otohiko drives us to distraction. Please look after yourself and get some rest.”

Nanami couldn’t look him in the eyes; she hadn’t come to terms with her behaviour earlier that day.

He leaned in, touching his forehead to hers. She could feel his breath playing over her face and closed her eyes, unable to cope with the proximity.

“Was that the first time you’ve experienced that?” he whispered.

Nanami knew exactly what he was talking about. She wanted the bed to open up and swallow her before the awkwardness killed her.

“Don’t be ashamed my love, I enjoyed that more than any words can describe.”

Nanami’s heart started to race as she broke into a cold sweat. She felt ridiculous; barely a day ago she would’ve been thrilled to get this kind of attention from him.

Mercifully, Tomoe stopped hovering and nestled his head into her neck.

_Thank god_ she thought, trying not to appear too relieved.  Realising she had been holding her breath she inhaled slowly through her nose.

“I’m really tired,” she managed to mumble, hoping it would pass for an excuse to be left alone.

“I’ll let you sleep in peace then,” he murmured.

Sitting back slightly, she thought he was going to leave when he locked his mouth over hers.  She could feel his large canines pressing into her lips as he kissed her deeply, sending a warm rush through her body. Then he released her, running a hand slowly down the side of her face before getting up and gliding out of the room.

Finally alone, Nanami closed her eyes. The rain had stopped, leaving behind a sharp cold breeze that wafted through her room. Curling up in the blankets, she promptly passed out.

*******

The school day went by in a bleary, boring haze; a welcome relief from the dramas of the last three days. Even the jibes from her classmates about calling in sick on Monday didn’t faze her. The monotony of her classes and general tedium felt wonderfully normal.

Nanami managed to avoid a lunchtime inquisition with Ami and Kei, excusing herself to study in the library. Ami accepted it without question but Kei knew something wasn’t right, texting Nanami to contact her when she was ready to talk.

Arriving home, she found the shrine empty except for the two small attendants who cheerfully informed her that everyone was away. Bobbing merrily around her head, they advised her that Tomoe would be absent for a least a day, Mikage would not be back until late in the evening and Mizuki’s return had been delayed.

Sitting in the main hall, Nanami ate her evening meal while chatting quietly with the two little spirits before retiring to her room.

As she climbed into bed, she realised that the damage to the sideboard had vanished. Running her hand over the smooth varnished wood, it appeared to have never been broken at all. Thinking back to the morning, she recalled it being intact then as well. Suddenly she remembered how it was broken and shook her head vigorously, trying to dismiss the violent images from her mind.

Alone in the silence, Nanami tried to find something to watch on her laptop but found herself unable to concentrate. She knew things were bothering her, but she couldn’t bring herself to contemplate them.

Eventually, warm tears started running down her cheeks.

Picking up her phone, she hesitated before hitting the dial button. She was far too tired to be talking to anyone and still badly hung over. Flicking her fingers over the screen, she sent a short text to Kei saying ‘let’s talk tomorrow.’

Minutes later, Kei’s message popped up on her screen. “Let’s skip PE in the morning. See you at nine am.”

Closing her laptop, she snuggled into the sheets and turned off her bedside lamp. The cool night air drifted through her room, softly flowing over her face. She didn’t want to think about Tomoe, she didn’t want to think about anything. Wiping her eyes, she drifted off into a fitful sleep.

********

Rushing into the school grounds, Nanami barely made it to the stairs of the main building before she was ambushed by Ami and Kei.

“Come on, let’s get out of here!” Kei commanded, linking an arm with Nanami and steering her towards the recreation area. Finding a secluded bench, the three girls sat down together.

“Alright Nanami, let’s have it,” Kei said, her voice full of concern. “You’re not okay are you?”

“I don’t know. No, that’s not right. I do know,” Nanami replied numbly.

“Alright then, just start at the beginning and go from there,” Kei said carefully.

Taking a deep breath, Nanami thought back to Monday morning. “Well Mikage told me what happened on Saturday night, the bit after the orchard. It was horrible.” Nanami described what she had been told as the girls listened intently.

“Oh shit. Now I see why the guys were so upset, pity they didn’t tell you sooner,” Kei responded. “Now we look like jerks!”

“I know, I feel awful,” Nanami replied, “I came back on Sunday night and tore into both of them.”

“Well you didn’t know any better,” Ami chimed in, “but that’s not the real worry is it? How do you feel about Tomoe now?”

“Ugh, I don’t know. There’s more too, Mikage and I had some sake while he was telling me, but it was spiked with something.”

“What? On Monday morning?” Kei asked incredulously.

“Yeah,” Nanami replied, “I know it sounds bad but it was a really difficult conversation. He picked the smallest bottle he could find in the pantry but it turned out to be some nasty concoction laced with opiates or something. We both got wasted and did crazy things all day.”

“Oh my god, were you still out of it yesterday?” Ami asked. “You looked spaced out!”

Genuinely surprised, Kei blinked while she shook her head. “Honestly, the people you live with are nuts! Who has that kind of thing just sitting around in their kitchen?”

Pausing, Nanami clenched her hands together in her lap. “Well the drinking was just the beginning. It’s what I did in the afternoon that’s really freaked me out.”

“I’m pretty freaked out already but you better just spit it out,” Kei muttered.

Staring at the pavement, Nanami replied, “Well, I was high as a kite and um, Tomoe was looking at the wound on my backside and um, well, things got a bit crazy and the bed got kind of wrecked.”

Looking alarmed, Ami gently touched Nanami’s shoulder. “You’re not injured are you?”

“Oh no, he was really careful,” she responded, “The bed took all the damage this time. But you should’ve seen it; his hand went through the sideboard like it was rice paper.”

“Why? What the hell was he doing?” Kei asked, her eyes wide with anticipation.

“Ugh! I can’t even say it!” Nanami exclaimed, dropping her head to her knees.

Suddenly Kei made a strangling sound, trying not to laugh. “Oh god I’m so sorry! You’re probably traumatised! Okay, I think I get the picture.”

Sitting up, Nanami took a deep breath and focussed. “I wasn’t myself; I said all sorts of weird stuff and behaved like, well... I’m scared witless he’s going to expect more of the same cos he really enjoyed it.”

Leaning in, Ami tried to meet her eyes. “Why, did he say as much?”

“Well yeah… oh no, hang on; he was only talking about that thing he did to me.” Suddenly she realised she’d been a bit too specific and her cheeks started to burn. Covering her face with her hands, she dropped her head back down as Ami and Kei burst into laughter.

“Oh Nanami! I don’t think you’ve got anything to be concerned about!” Ami gasped. “I’m sure he’s been on a few benders over the last 600 years.”

“Ugh. I feel so stupid,” she mumbled into her hands. “I’ve been in a state worrying about it all.”

Regaining some of her composure, Kei straightened up and patted Nanami’s back. “Well it’s no wonder; you’ve probably been coming down for the last day or so.”

“You’re not worried about him hurting you?” Ami asked. “You can always use that sacred word binding thing to stop him.”

Nanami hadn’t used sacred word binding on her familiars in months. “Well I haven’t needed to use it for a while and it would feel pretty awkward using it in those circumstances.”

“How does it work?” Kei enquired, “You haven’t told me about this little trick!”

“When I say something directly to Mizuki or Tomoe with enough force, it’s like an order. I used to do it accidentally quite a lot, but it was mostly to stop them fighting. If I yell out something, like telling them to stop, they literally freeze in place.”

“Wow, that’s awesome! Ami has a good point; use it if you really need to.” Standing up, Kei took a deep breath and placed her hands on her hips. “Well if that is everything Nanami, I need a cold drink to wash all that down!”

Smiling, Nanami stood up and grabbed Kei, squeezing her tightly. “Thank you so much for being here. You too Ami,” she added, reaching out and clutching the smaller girl’s closest hand.

“Hey are you kidding? We love all your shit; we couldn’t pay for better entertainment!” Kei declared, grinning evilly. “Especially all that freaky stuff with your hot demon boyfriend!”

“Oh Kei!” Ami drawled, “You’d pay to hear it if she charged!”

Laughing, the three friends wandered off towards the cafeteria.

*******

Returning to the shrine after school, Nanami dragged herself slowly up the long flight of stairs. Her head felt clearer, but she still had no energy.

Entering the main hall, she heard someone busying themselves in the kitchen. Stopping momentarily, she wondered whether it was Tomoe…

“Oh hello! How is my partner in crime feeling today?” chimed Mikage, poking his head around the corner.

“Better today, I felt just awful yesterday though,” Nanami answered, ambling into the kitchen. “I see the oven is working again, that’s a relief. I can’t believe we managed to set in on fire on Monday.”

“Yes I think Tomoe fixed it when he was here today, he was dropping in to collect something,” Mikage said, rubbing his hands down the front of his apron.

“They still haven’t found a sound stone then?” Nanami asked, keen to know more.

“Well Otohiko has failed miserably thus far, his diplomacy skills leave a lot to be desired,” he replied, a frown creasing his brow. “But I think Tomoe might have found a way to get one.”

“Are they really that hard to get?” she asked.

“They are rare to find in the natural world so people don’t tend to sell them often. They aren’t created by the gods; they are formed naturally so their power is eternal. A large one can fetch a ridiculous price on the open market.”

“Well I hope they find one soon,” Nanami offered, trying not to sound as anxious as she felt. Two days had passed since she had seen Tomoe and she was suddenly feeling his absence very keenly.

Sensing her concern, Mikage tried to reassure her. “Don’t worry; Tomoe is very good at negotiating. I’m sure he will succeed and return soon. Say, what would you like for dinner tonight?”

“What’s on offer?” she asked, eyeing off the tray in the oven.

“It’s a surprise,” he said crinkling his eyes as he replied; “you’ll have to wait and see!”

********

Another day passed in relative peace, with no sign of Tomoe or Mizuki. By Thursday evening, Nanami’s concern was reaching the point of distraction.

“I’m sorry Nanami, I don’t know where they are,” Mikage admitted as they ate their evening meal. “Otohiko has gone missing too; I fear he may have approached Princess Narukami to attempt a trade for one of her sound stones. That would not end well.”

“Oh I remember her, the god of thunder - she came to the shrine shortly after I arrived and took my god mark. She was awful,” Nanami commented between mouthfuls. “I met her thirty second pair of Lion Dog familiars, can you believe that? She beats them apparently so they don’t hang around for long.”

“That’s not the only thing she does to them, if the rumours are true,” Mikage added. “I just hope Otohiko hasn’t gone near her, she knows of our association. She wanted Tomoe as her familiar when I took him in so I’m not exactly her favourite person.”

“She tried to make Tomoe her familiar when she came here too, but he wouldn’t have it. We were lucky, she saw how loyal he was and gave the god mark back to me,” Nanami responded.

“Such an excruciating woman,” Mikage declared, reaching for the sauce.

Suddenly Nanami had an awful thought, what if Tomoe…

Almost choking on a mouthful of food, she grabbed the table and doubled over.

“Nanami! Take it easy there!” Mikage exclaimed.

Lifting her head up, she tried to gasp out Tomoe’s name.

Staring at her wide eyed, he suddenly realised what she was inferring. “Oh no, he wouldn’t do that!” he exclaimed, pressing a hand to his chest. Then his eyes started darting around the wall behind her as if he was searching for something. “No. Surely not,” he declared, focussing back on Nanami. “I’m sure he wouldn’t attempt to negotiate with her.”

All Nanami could do was stare slack faced at Mikage. She had a dreadful feeling…

“Please don’t worry, I’m sure you have nothing to be concerned about,” Mikage stated, quickly smiling. “There’s no reason for him to approach her, I gave him plenty of other places to try.” Taking his hand from his chest, he leaned over and patted Nanami’s arm in an effort to reassure her.

Nanami didn’t feel comforted at all. Her stomach was in knots.

“Well I think I’m done here, how about you?” Mikage asked, trying to change the subject.

Staring at the remnants of their meal she mumbled, “Yes, I seem to have lost my appetite.”

“I’ll clear this away shall I?” he offered, trying to distract her.

Numbly Nanami got to her feet and said goodnight, heading for her bedroom.

Completely preoccupied she wandered off aimlessly, eventually arriving at the foot of her bed. Slowly she moved towards it, sitting down on the end and lightly touching the long flat polished side boards. The sheets had been changed days ago so there were no signs of him left, like he had never been there at all. Looking over at her dresser she noticed her flowers had wilted, hanging sadly in their vase.

She thought of the beautiful Princess Narukami in her long white kimono edged with fine black lace… tall, elegant, exquisite. A powerful deity who yearned for centuries to have Tomoe as her own, hungry to inflict him with her violent delights.

Slowly she lay down across the bed, stretching out an arm and running it over the sheets. She had slept alone for the last four nights now; he had only been by her side for one short night, keeping her safe and warm. It felt like a lifetime ago…


	5. The Tempest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter five sees the storm descend. Secrets start to be revealed as Nanami faces an uncertain future.

“Weekend here I come!” yelled Kei.

The school week was finally over. Standing on the top stair of the main building, Nanami and Kei scanned the sea of students flowing out of the grounds for a sign of Ami.

“Ugh, where is she?” complained Kei while texting with one hand.

“There she is!” proclaimed Nanami, spotting the little redheaded girl barrelling through the crowd towards them.

Together the three friends weaved their way out of the school grounds and headed for their favourite tea shop. Finding a free table near the front, they slid their school bags underneath and requisitioned some chairs.

“You guys should really come to this party on Saturday night,” Kei declared, texting continuously as she sat down. “Everyone’s going to be there, it will be a blast.”

“I’ll see if I can get permission,” Ami offered, pawing over the menu.

“I don’t know what’s happening at home yet,” Nanami said absently, staring into the distance. “I haven’t seen Tomoe since Monday night and Mizuki hasn’t returned from his trip.”

“Well at least you’ve had some peace then,” Ami suggested, busily fishing around in her purse for some change.

“Yeah, but the shrine’s starting to feel a bit empty without them.” In truth, Nanami was deeply worried. Her conversation with Mikage the night before had left her with a lingering fear that Tomoe was doing something she couldn’t bring herself to contemplate.

Looking away from her phone, Kei eyed Nanami suspiciously. “Okay what’s up kiddo, you have a cloud floating over your head that’s getting bigger by the minute.”

Blinking, Nanami snapped out of her melancholy thoughts and stared solemnly at Kei. She couldn’t share what was really on her mind; it was too dreadful to say out loud.

Instead she recalled a dream she had, fidgeting with a napkin as she spoke. “I thought Tomoe was in bed with me last night, but it was only a fantasy. When I woke up alone I felt really awful. I have a bad feeling everything is about to go to hell.”

“Well if it doesn’t, give me a call and we can party!” Kei declared. Breaking into a wide grin she added, “Although you may be already booked for some freaky furniture smashing action!”

Giggling, Ami added, “Well you don’t want to keep her from that, you live for that stuff!”

“Indeed I do and I don’t care who knows,” Kei announced proudly, puffing out her chest.

Smiling, Nanami fanned Kei with her napkin. “Alright calm down over there, let’s order something already!”

*******

It was late in the afternoon by the time Nanami returned to the shrine, the fading sun casting long dark shadows through the trees.  As she entered the grounds, she peered around anxiously for any signs that Tomoe or Mizuki had returned.

The grounds were empty, devoid of any trace of activity. No sheets hanging out to dry, no items left absently on the long veranda. The shrine looked ominously devoid of life.

All she could hear was the sound of the wind rushing through the trees as black clouds scudded across the darkening sky.

Quietly she entered the main hall as the last fragments of sunlight danced over the smooth polished floors. Even the shrine’s attendants seemed to be absent.

Darkness filled the corners of the room as the light faded…

“Hello Nanami!” chimed Mikage from behind.

“Crap! You nearly scared the life out of me!” she exclaimed, catching her bag as it fell off her shoulder.

“Sorry about that,” he said apologetically. “The sky is looking very menacing, I think we may have a storm on the way,” he added, moving to the closest wall to flick the light switch. “You can feel it coming in the air can’t you?”

“Yeah, it feels really eerie. Have you heard anything from the guys?” she asked, hoping for some good news.

Frowning, Mikage looked down at the floorboards. “I’ve heard nothing from either of them. It’s really starting to concern me. I’ve sent out scouts but nothing has come back.”

“What are we going to do? It’s worrying me sick,” she admitted.

“I know; we can’t go on like this. I might have to leave the shrine and get some answers,” he advised, looking at her earnestly. “Would you be alright on your own? You can ask the attendants to stay in your room tonight.”

“Do you think I need to be guarded?” Nanami asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Mikage turned to look outside at the gathering clouds, narrowing his eyes. “Something isn’t right, I can sense it. I don’t think there is any threat to you directly, but I’d rather you weren’t left on your own.”

“I’m happy to have them stay with me; it’ll feel downright creepy otherwise,” she responded, glancing through the open doors at the looming darkness.

“We can keep each other company in the television room until I leave, I’ll make us something to eat before I go,” Mikage offered.

Agreeing, Nanami headed for her bedroom to get changed. Feeling an unseasonably cold chill, she donned a long sleeved top and tracksuit pants before joining Mikage.

Picking up the remote control, she found her usual spot on the long sofa and settled in.

Suddenly rain started to pour down outside, filling the air with a deafening rumble as it hammered the roof of the shrine. Then a bright flash of light filled the room, followed by an ear-splitting clap of thunder which shook the building. They both yelped, nearly falling out of their chairs.

“Holy crap! Where did that come from?” Nanami exclaimed, jumping up and running over to wrestle the screen doors shut as waves of damp air gusted in.

“I’m going to check my screens; I think I’ve left them wide open,” Mikage yelled over the deafening rain, flinging himself out of his armchair and tearing out the door.

Nanami pulled a blanket out of the side cupboard and huddled under it as waves of cold damp air wafted through the room. Bursts of lightning lit up the walls as rain blew in under the veranda, splashing up against the walls.

Mercifully the power hadn’t gone out, but she realised it was a distinct possibility. Getting to her feet, she wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and headed for the kitchen to find the torch. 

As she came into the main hall, she saw a figure sitting in the centre of the room.

“Mizuki?” she yelled, recognising her familiar immediately. Dressed in his usual white outfit he had his head down and his hands in his lap.

Nanami sensed immediately that something wasn’t right. Normally he would greet her with a friendly smile, always wanting to please her. This formal presentation meant he had dire news.

She pulled the blanket tight around her shoulders, hesitating to speak. What if it was something about Tomoe…

Suddenly he stood up and stepped closer to her.

“How could you?” he wailed.

“What?” Nanami yelled over the din.

“You let him desecrate you! Put his seed in you! I can smell him on your flesh from here!” he screamed, twisting his face in anguish.

Nanami didn’t know what to say. Another lightning flash filled the room as she stared mutely at him, stunned into silence.

Then Mikage appeared from the main hallway, stopping abruptly as he sensed the gravity of the situation. “What is going on!” he yelled.

Immediately reassured by his presence Nanami regained some composure, blinking rapidly as she scrambled to think of something to say. “Tomoe hasn’t been here for days!” she shouted. “What are you talking about?”

“Do you know what he’s been doing?” Mizuki bellowed back at her, casting an arm sideways to point through the open doors. “Can’t you see how angry he has made her by leaving?”

Nanami’s stomach twisted into knots as the meaning of his words sank in. A shot of cold dread went down her spine as her mind grappled with the unthinkable _. The god of thunder…._

“He isn’t loyal to you like I would be!” he cried.

“Calm down Mizuki!” Mikage yelled, slowly edging behind him.

Then Mizuki leapt at her, grabbing her arms. She felt his fingers digging into her skin as she tried to shake him off.

He tightened his grip, the pain causing her to react without thinking.

“Stop!” she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Immediately he froze, his hands releasing her.

Mikage ran forward, grabbing him by one arm and flinging him sideways to the ground. “Well done Nanami!” he yelled. “Are you alright?”

“No,” she mouthed, her voice far too quiet to be heard over the downpour.

Slowly Mikage put an arm around her shoulders and steered her into the television room. “Please sit down for me,” he said, gesturing towards the sofa. “You’re safe; Mizuki won’t be able move for a few minutes.”

Numbly she nodded as she struggled to sit, almost falling into the sofa.

Mikage stood back and raised his hands, moving his fingers through the air in a delicate weaving pattern. Tiny blue butterflies burst forth in the space between them, glowing softly as they spread throughout the room.

“I’m going to whip up some tea, you’ll be safe here,” he yelled over the din, moving swiftly out of the room.

Nanami stared blankly at the beautiful display, the tiny avatars softly dancing all around her.

_Get a grip_ she commanded herself. _Breathe_.

Sucking in air through her nose, she pulled herself up straight and tried to focus her thoughts.

Suddenly the two shrine attendants burst into the room, latching themselves onto her arms. “Lady Nanami! We will protect you!” they exclaimed in unison.

The soft touch of their small hands was immediately comforting, bringing her some respite. “I think Mikage has it covered,” she yelled hoarsely in an attempt to be heard.

Sweeping back into the room, Mikage deposited a pot of tea and two large mugs on the table in front of her. Sitting down next to her on the couch, he leaned forward to pour. “Drink this down,” said loudly, holding a cup out. “It’s only lukewarm.”

Taking it between her hands, she lifted it to her lips and took a mouthful. The tea cleared her throat as she forced herself to swallow it.

Together they all sat in tense anticipation as the storm slowly abated.

******

“Thank goodness, now I can hear myself think,” Mikage breathed as the attendants floated off. “That looks like the end of it, the rain has almost stopped.” Opening the screen doors to the veranda, he paused for a moment before turning to face Nanami. “You’re going to have to deal with Mizuki, are you ready?”

“In a minute,” she replied quietly, staring outside. “Did you see him point to the storm?”

Mikage regarded her, his eyes filling with sadness. “Yes, I heard what he said as well. Let’s try not to jump to any conclusions; Mizuki doesn’t always get things right. We need to get him sorted out first.”

Quietly she nodded, bowing her head dejectedly.

Returning to the main hall they found Mizuki slowly moving himself into a seated position, tucking his legs underneath himself. Sensing their approach, he dropped his head to his knees and placed his hands on the floor palms down. “Mistress, please forgive me,” he stammered.

Glancing sideways at Mikage, Nanami began her speech. “Your behaviour is unforgivable. I cannot tolerate such treatment from a familiar. My choice of partner is none of your business and if you will not accept it, you should leave.”

Suddenly he lifted his head, his eyes filled with fear. “Please Mistress! Don’t make me go!”

“It is your choice Mizuki, stay and accept the arrangement or find yourself another master.”

Blinking, he thought momentarily before responding.

“If you have another outburst, I will make sure the council of gods hears about it,” Mikage stated. “Not mention what Unari will think…”

Dropping his eyes to the floor, Mizuki answered solemnly, “I promise that I will never manhandle my Lady ever again.”

“It’s settled then,” Nanami stated, taking a deep breath. “So how was your visit to Unari?”

“Very good mistress,” he responded, a small smile crossing his face.

“I believe she is extremely fond of you, are you aware of that?” asked Mikage, narrowing his eyes. “Do you reciprocate her feelings?”

Looking somewhat embarrassed, his eyes crinkled as he considered his response. “Yes, I like her very much.”

“Well then, you have no need to be so possessive of your master do you?” offered Mikage.

As Mizuki went to speak again, a smooth scraping sound filled the air…

Nanami glanced sideways to the main door then froze. Standing in the entrance was Tomoe.

Dressed in a long black formal robe and coat with pale blue flames decorating the edges, he held a Katana out to the side in one hand. His hair was long, the white silky strands dancing around him in the air.

His eyes were fixed on Mizuki, sitting undefended on the floor. Whimpering, the snake spirit dropped his head onto the boards and covered it with both hands.

Dumbstruck, all Nanami could do was stare at Tomoe. It was like seeing him again for the first time…

Then she felt Mikage touch her arm. She glanced sideways at him and he caught her gaze, flicking his eyes down towards Mizuki.

Her heart sank; she couldn’t let this happen. But she didn’t have the will to scream out a command…

“No,” she muttered quietly to herself.

Tomoe slowly lowered his hand then flicked his wrist, returning his sword to its sheath in the blink of an eye.

Nanami let out her breath. She felt numb, like everything she was witnessing was a dream.

Tomoe strode through the room, glancing at her ever so briefly before disappearing down the main corridor.

Dumbstruck, they all stared at each other for several seconds before the tension started to ease.

“Come on Mizuki, get up and come with us,” urged Mikage, trying to move them out of the main hall. The snake spirit was cowering on the floor, his hands still gripping his head.

Together they collected themselves and shuffled into the television room.

Nanami returned to her spot on the sofa, wide eyed and mute. The tiny butterfly avatars still fluttered around her, their delicate beauty adding to the surreal atmosphere. Terrible thoughts tore through her mind as the dreadful truth sunk in. She wanted to cry but found herself unable to express even the slightest emotion.

Mikage looked at her, his brow furrowing. Then he turned to face Mizuki. “Protect your master,” he commanded, “I need to have a conversation with someone.”

“He won’t surprise me again,” Mizuki responded, sitting up straight and looking at him intently.

Glancing outside, Mikage addressed him again. “It’s not Tomoe I am concerned about; the clouds haven’t cleared yet.”

Quietly Mikage left the room.

Mizuki turned to regard his master, his eyes growing wide with concern as he realised she was in shock. “Mistress, please talk to me,” he said quietly. “I know I have behaved terribly and I don’t expect you to forgive me, but please listen to what I must say.”

Slowly she turned to look at him, despair filling her eyes. “What has he done?”

“He has placed your life in danger,” he responded, “So you must punish him.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” she muttered. Closing her eyes, she crossed her arms over her chest and folded over. The world was collapsing around her.

Overhead the tiny blue butterflies flickered in the dim light. They would disappear when their usefulness ended, their beauty lost forever...


	6. Duplicity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The storm has passed and everyone has returned to the shrine. What awaits Nanami as the evening unfolds?

It was almost an hour before Mikage returned to the television room, anxiously rubbing his hands together as he entered.

His tiny butterfly avatars hovered close to the ceiling, weaving intricate circular patterns through the air as they maintained their vigil. Glancing up he dismissed them, their tiny forms flashing briefly before they blinked out of existence.

Sitting down slowly next to Nanami, he studied her carefully.

Huddled on the sofa with her knees under her chin, she had shrouded herself in the blanket she’d kept close all night. The shock of the confrontation with Tomoe had worn off and now she was consumed with despair.

Mizuki had curled up neatly on the floor next to her like a cat, quietly dozing as he recovered from the effects of his master’s command.

“I’m so sorry Nanami, I meant to come back sooner but Otohiko arrived,” Mikage explained, leaning close in a futile attempt make eye contact with her. “You need to…”

Suddenly Otohiko burst into the room, strutting over to Mizuki and shoving him with one foot. “Scram little snake!” he hissed.

Blinking, Mizuki sat up and glared at the wind god. “How dare you order me around!” he growled.

Narrowing his eyes and placing his hands on his hips Otohiko retorted, “Don’t start with me, you’re lucky you weren’t decapitated. Sneaking in here under the cover of the storm was clever, but not clever enough. That was quite the stunt you pulled, trying to force yourself on your master.”

Leaning over him he sneered, “Tomoe’s been hunting for you for days, if he’d found you there wouldn’t be enough of you left to fill a shoebox.”

Castigated, Mizuki chewed his lip before getting up and stomping off in a sulk.

“Careful who you make alliances with little wyrm!” Otohiko yelled after him.

Rolling his eyes and sighing, Mikage turned to glare at his companion. “Are you done? I need to talk to Nanami.”

“Hell yes, she needs be told about the trade,” he quipped. “Honestly you people should start having house meetings or something, your communication is rubbish.”

Creasing his brow Mikage replied, “Tomoe was never going to tell us what he was doing, he knew we would stop him. He took a huge risk approaching the Princess.”

“Well he managed to pull it off didn’t he?” Otohiko snapped back. “We have another sound stone now so everyone can have some privacy. He owes me for cleaning out the stash though; it’ll take the snake ages to brew up another batch of the party mix.”

“Ugh,” Mikage muttered, looking at Nanami apologetically. “Well I hope that explains what’s been happening, if you can excuse the delivery.”

Wide eyed, Nanami paused to process what she had just heard.

Clasping her hands over her knees, she raggedly sucked in a breath of air before speaking. “Dear god,” she muttered, “I just knew what he was up to.”

“You picked up on it before I did,” Mikage observed, “which shows a greatness of mind well beyond your years.”

“I don’t feel a greatness of anything at the moment,” Nanami replied forlornly. She was still deeply concerned about what else the transaction might have cost.

Otohiko recognised her distress immediately, a small smile crossing his painted lips as he turned to regard her. “Don’t worry sweetie he wouldn’t lay a hand on her, but she definitely tried her luck with him. That woman doesn’t send you a storm unless you’ve really pissed her off.”

“What?” Nanami breathed, staring uncomprehendingly at him.

“Oh sweetie he’d never do that to you,” Otohiko purred. “I think he’d rather fall on his sword than risk losing you. That boy is loyal to a fault.”

Suddenly Nanami’s world shifted, as if she had been teleported to another dimension. The nightmare she thought was unfolding around her wasn’t real.

“It would seem Mizuki sought to mislead us,” Mikage offered humbly, “Which I should have expected.”

Pressing her mouth into her knees Nanami stifled a gasp. She should have expected it too.

“We managed to dodge the bullet this time, but that tart knows how to hold a grudge,” Otohiko commented, absently rubbing a thumb under his chin. "There’s something off about this whole thing, I’m going to have a nice little chat with the snake.” Turning his gaze to Mikage he added, “We’ll have to keep an eye out, she might decide to play one of her little games with us.”

“Alright I think we’ve told Nanami enough,” Mikage declared, getting up and turning to usher his companion out the door. “Tomoe wants to see her and explain himself.”

Grinning, Otohiko sauntered toward the door. “Oh I’m sure he does,” he drawled, curling a finger through his hair.

“Tell him I’ll talk in the morning,” Nanami muttered. She knew it would take a while to feel any relief, she’d been anxious for too long.

She’d also had a dreadful realisation; her unshakable trust in Tomoe had been broken. It was too easy to blame Mizuki, she had always known of his duplicity when it came to the object of her affections. Her doubts were her own creation.

Sitting in the dim light of a small lamp, she quietly pondered some harsh truths.  

******

After a while, Nanami decided to get up and stretch her aching body.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled the blanket aside and slid her feet to the floor. Standing awkwardly, she paused while her balance adjusted. She felt like she had just exited a rollercoaster, still dizzy and disoriented from the ride.

Pausing, she realised how quiet it had become. No wind rushing through the trees, not even a breeze wafting through the room. Moving to the screen doors she hesitated before opening them, fearing to see dark clouds filling the heavens…

It was clear. A half-moon glowed in the dark night sky, casting soft deep shadows over the long empty veranda.

Moving out onto the decking, she could feel the dampness in the boards through her bare feet. The night air was still and cool, fresh with the smell of recent rain. It felt peaceful and serene, a very different atmosphere to the one she had felt so recently.

Absently she walked along the deck, eventually finding herself at the spot where she had met with Tomoe almost a week ago. Touching the oak beam where they stood together she remembered her nervous excitement, the thrill of his touch, the feeling of his warm skin beneath her hands…

Sighing, she turned and slowly ambled away. The memories faded as she thought of the difficult conversation she would have to endure with Tomoe. He’d been absent for days with no explanation, leaving her with nothing but worry and fear to keep her company. His disappearance had seeded her doubts and allowed them to take root.

Entering her bedroom, she found it mercifully empty.

Fumbling in the dim light, she managed to locate her bedside lamp and wrestled her way out of her clothes. Changing into a tee shirt, she collected her laptop from a side table and clambered into bed.

Solemnly she looked around the room. She felt far too restless to attempt sleep but she needed a diversion. Propping herself up with a pile of pillows, she positioned the laptop and turned it on. There was bound to be something she could watch that would take her mind off things…

Suddenly she felt the air compress around her slightly.

“My lady.”

Recognising Tomoe’s voice she winced, glancing up from her laptop.

Sitting neatly on the floor at the foot of her bed, he was now dressed in a pale blue robe. His hair was short again, making him appear younger and far less imposing.

This was the last thing she wanted – a confrontation. Flicking her eyes back to the computer screen she stated quietly, “I want to be alone.”

“I must speak with you right now,” he responded smoothly.

“Ugh,” she muttered, realising she wasn’t going to brush him off easily. “It’s been a rough evening and I don’t want to have this out with you right now.”

“Have what out?” he replied, moving gracefully to the end of the bed.

“Honestly!” she declared, keeping her eyes fixed on the screen. His calm tone was exasperating. “Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been? I figured out what you were doing then spent two days quietly shitting myself about it. I know full well what that woman would have tried on you, I’m not an idiot.”

Tomoe started to respond but she cut him off.

“And what about that scene earlier?” she blurted out, her voice getting louder. “Were you going to chop Mizuki’s head off in front of me?  What the Fuck?” she exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air and glaring at him. “And where the hell have you actually been for the last four days?”

Nanami could feel her heart racing as she broke out into a sweat; she was getting too wound up.

“I should slam this in your stupid face!” she yelled, picking up her laptop. She could feel her frustration reaching the point of tears and suddenly felt the urge to flee. “I can’t do this,” she proclaimed, pushing the laptop aside and swinging her legs out of the bed.

As she tried to get up Tomoe grabbed her from behind, wrapping one arm around her tightly as he pressed his chest against her back. “Don’t go,” he whispered into her ear, his voice wavering. “Please let me explain.”

The unexpected contact surprised her, making her yelp involuntarily and clutch his arm. They hadn’t touched in days, it felt painfully good. 

“Mizuki has been hiding since Tuesday night,” he explained quietly. “When he didn’t return, I knew exactly what his intentions were. I wasted days trying to find him when I could’ve been negotiating a trade for a sound stone.”

“When I saw him sitting on the floor in front of you, I knew immediately what must have transpired. I lost my temper and I apologise for that,” he said earnestly.

Nanami pursed her lips as she realised how much trouble Mizuki had caused.

“The trade with the princess was a calculated risk; but I knew she would have a great interest in that sake,” he continued, easing his grip on her. “She didn’t press me for anything else, apparently I reek of human,” he said gently, nudging his face into her hair. “The storm was her way of showing her disapproval.”

Closing her eyes, Nanami sighed as she absorbed his words. She wanted to vent more of her anger but knew it would just sound juvenile. “You could’ve warned me about Mizuki at least,” She said quietly, “I’ve been sleeping on my own for days.”

“No you haven’t,” he responded. “I’ve been around. How do you think I managed to gather so much of your scent?”

“What?” Nanami exclaimed, “You haven’t been near me since Monday!”

“Actually I have,” he replied, patting the bed with his free hand. “I slept with you most of the night before I conducted the trade.”

Raising her eyebrows, she tried to cast her mind back over the week. “Um, which night was that?” she asked sheepishly.

“Thursday night,” he murmured, pushing his nose into the back of her head.

Remembering fragments of a dream she’d had that evening, her cheeks started to burn. “Err; you didn’t just sleep next to me did you?”

“Not really,” he replied softly, “I needed to make sure the Princess found me completely repellent.”

Feeling her face go up in flames Nanami winced with embarrassment, eternally grateful she wasn’t facing him. “Do I even want to know what that involved?” she stammered, pretending not to recall any of the details.

Clearly enjoying her discomfort Tomoe purred, “I can show you if you like.”

“No! I’m still angry with you,” she declared, trying to squirm her way out of his grasp.

“Why?” he asked musically. Pausing for a moment he added, “is it because you’re jealous? She barely touched me you know.”

“What?” she exclaimed, twisting around to face him. She only met his eyes for a second before his lips were on hers.

Surprised, she froze at the contact. It felt like months since he had kissed her.

Then he sat back and released her, peering around the room. His tail flicked in wide sweeps across the bed as his ears twitched, looking for something. Raising one hand palm up, he created a blue flame in the air above his fingertips.

“Everyone out before I incinerate you!” he stated loudly, turning the blue flame into a ball of molten light. The air popped and a scraping sound echoed across the floorboards before the room fell silent.

Realising they had an audience, Nanami covered her burning cheeks with both hands. “Ugh!” she muttered, “how often are there people hiding in here?”

“Well, not at all since I’ve been sleeping with you,” he responded, extinguishing the foxfire.

Stunned, she thought of how that sounded being said out loud. Then she realised his attention was back on her now, those large violet eyes looking straight through her…

Tomoe blinked slowly, smiling as he leaned forward and placed one hand on the bed next to her. His tail swept across the bed again, spreading long white tendrils in a wide arc behind him.

“Stop that!” she stated, looking at this tail.

“What?” he responded, glancing over his shoulder.

Still astonished by his statement she became flustered, glancing all around the room. “I can’t do this,” she stammered, starting to panic. “I’m not, well, um…” Unable to find the right words, she started blurting out whatever came into her head. “I’m not like that! You know, rolling around on the bed half naked and telling you how beautiful you are!”

He was staring at her now with a curious frown.

“Ugh! That didn’t come out right,” she mumbled, pressing her face into her hands and closing her eyes. _I’m dying here_ she thought miserably. “I can’t do this right now okay? It’s been a rough night.”

“That’s fine,” he said softly, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her forehead.

It felt magical to be held again. Sighing, she rested her face against his shoulder and tried to calm down.

“Why don’t you watch something on your laptop, I’m going to get some rest,” he whispered, releasing her slowly. “Do you mind if stay?”

“Um, sure,” Nanami responded. She was genuinely relieved, but also slightly disappointed he gave up so easily.

Sliding gracefully to the other side of the bed, Tomoe positioned himself on his side facing away from the light of the bedside lamp. Flicking his tail up over his legs, he let out a small sigh.

Glancing at him, Nanami moved back to her original spot on the bed. Relocating her laptop, she tried to think of something to occupy herself.

Looking around the room, she drew in a slow deep breath. It was quiet. Peaceful. This was all she needed at the moment.

Fervently she turned her gaze to watch him, resting on the other side of the bed. It felt so good to have him near again.

She sat in silence, savouring the moment.

Eventually, Nanami moved to the edge of the bed and placed her laptop on the floor.

Regarding him again, she ran her fingers over her lips as she thought about how much he had done for her. He had spent the last four days protecting her while organising and executing a trade with a dangerous god. All for her, because she wanted him in her bed just like he was right now.

She had brought chaos and danger into the lives of everyone who lived with her, all to satisfy her desires.

Hanging her head, she felt the shame settle over her mind like a heavy blanket. How much trouble had she caused, all for her selfish yearnings?  

Solemnly she turned off her bedside lamp then slowly crawled over to lie down beside him.

As she studied the faint shadows painting the ceiling she thought about him, which she did all the time. Whether it was worry, fear, anger, desire, it was always about him.

“I’m so sorry,” she mouthed silently, closing her eyes.

“Don’t be,” Tomoe whispered back.

Blinking, Nanami tried to determine whether he had actually responded to her or it was just wishful thinking. Then she felt the gentle touch of his hand on the side of her face.

“I’m so much trouble,” she murmured, lost in humility.

“Yes you are,” he said quietly, “It’s practically a skill.”

Smiling sadly to herself, she felt a warm tear run from the corners of her eyes. “I don’t deserve you, I don’t deserve any of this,” she murmured.

“Let me be the judge of that,” he whispered.

She felt his lips touch hers, so warm and soft. Like the feeling of the sun’s rays on a cold day.

Sliding an arm underneath her body, he gently rolled on top of her. The weight of his body pressing her into the mattress felt incredible.

She ran her hands up his arms, over his smooth warm skin onto the fabric covering his back. Up his neck into his hair, so warm and soft. _So, so beautiful…_

His hand moved from the side of her face to her neck, his thumb resting under her chin. Pushing her lips open, he pressed his mouth deep into hers, running his tongue across the tips of her teeth.

She felt the world dissolve into nothing, a swimming endless abyss of pleasure. Clutching the back of his head, she moaned softly as he drank her in. Her whole body was tingling, an almost painful sensation of aching pleasure radiating out into every nerve.

The darkness filled with the scent and taste of him, his mouth sweet with just a hint of sharpness. The soft aroma of scented soap and that delectable, faint scent that was just him. The most delicious smell imaginable.

Then he released her lips, gasping softly as he rested his cheek against hers. His hot breath flowed down over her face like the warmth of an open fire. Sliding his hand down her neck he rolled onto his side, taking his weight off her. She heard the sound of fabric sliding as he flicked off the cloth belt tied at his waist.

Taking her far hand by the wrist he placed it against his chest. She could feel his heart beating underneath his skin as he held it there for a brief moment. Then he ever so slowly moved it down…

Nanami’s heart started to pound so hard she could feel it in her throat; this was the move she had tried on him just a few days ago. A wave of panic swept through her as she recalled how angrily he had snarled at her for doing it. She didn’t want this to end badly; it had been so blissful a moment ago…

Unable see his face in the darkness, she couldn’t determine what he was thinking. Her hand started to twitch as he kept guiding it lower, lower... She turned on her side to face him, about to start resisting when he paused. Still holding her wrist he spoke, his voice a husky whisper. “Please.”

Fearful of what she might provoke, she responded timidly, “I don’t want to upset you Tomoe.”

“Upset the hell out of me,” he whispered, lifting her hand and placing it over his erection.

He gasped at the contact, then closed his hand over the top of hers, wrapping her fingers around the shaft. Then he started to move his hand over hers, slowly up and down, squeezing and pulling...

Astounded, all Nanami could do was gape wide eyed into the darkness. She didn’t have a clue what she was supposed to do. The fact that she actually had her hand on his cock was astonishing enough, let alone anything else.

Kei had inflicted her with an ample amount of cringe worthy material so she was well aware of what to expect, but she was completely unprepared for how it would feel. And now her hand was wrapped around him, with his hand over hers, as he slowly but surely started to climax…

Grabbing her tee shirt by the front with his spare hand, he knotted his fist in it. Making a sound like a whimper, he pressed his face into his shoulder as he started to lose control.

Nanami could feel his grip tightening over her hand as he moved it faster, then faster… Then he let out a loud gasp as he came, shuddering all over.

Mesmerised, all she could do was lie mutely and absorb the spectacle. The darkness was a great mercy; she wouldn’t have coped with the visual assault.

His grip on her hand relaxed as he groaned softly, flicking his tail. The long silky strands fell across her legs, making her twitch involuntarily. The contact made her realise she’d been holding her breath, forcing her to exhale sharply.

Sucking in air as quietly as she could, she tried to hide her bewilderment. Her brain hadn’t decided whether to be mortified or aroused, hanging somewhere in between.

Hearing her gasp, he unfurled his hand from her shirt.

Relieved, Nanami moved her free hand up over her chest, feeling the large tears in the fabric. _I liked that tee shirt_ she thought absently.

His other hand released its grip, allowing her to remove her hand from his now spent organ. Curiously, she found herself not wanting to let go. It felt much softer now, almost pliable, yet still almost full sized. She let her fingers move over it, finding the tip with her thumb. Fascinated, she rubbed it over the soft wetness…

“Don’t do that,” he breathed, gently taking her hand away.

Suddenly embarrassed, she realised what she had been doing. Then she had an epiphany.

Her interest in this part of anatomy wasn’t anything new, she’d been eyeing off his nether regions for weeks. It had started at school, when he was wearing the suit that all the male students wore. She remembered overhearing comments from the flock of girls that regularly hovered within viewing distance of him. Unintentionally influenced by their words, she had developed a preoccupation with certain parts of his body…

Momentarily distracted, she didn’t notice him let go of her hand. Then she realised he was sitting up, his silhouette visible in the dim light.

Letting his robe slide carelessly off his shoulders he leaned over her, sliding a fingertip into one of the holes in her tee shirt. A razor sharp fingernail ran straight up through the fabric. Stunned, Nanami laid there as he proceeded to slice the lower part of her shirt open in one deft movement.

Then he flicked the fabric aside, leaving her chest completely exposed. Involuntarily she moved both her hands to cover herself, but was intercepted as he weaved his fingers into hers.

Pushing her hands into the bedding either side of her, he closed his lips over one of her nipples. Gasping, she felt the incredible sensation of his mouth kissing her breast. Licking and sucking he groaned softly, low in his throat.

Nanami writhed underneath him, barely able to withstand the sudden, sharp jolts of pleasure shooting through her like electricity. Clenching her teeth, she hummed high in the back of her throat. A warm pulsing sensation started between her legs, making her twitch her toes and rub her heels against the sheets.

Twisting one hand she managed to get it free from his grasp, reaching up to clutch at his back. Through the haze of sensation she realised she could reach below his waist and impulsively went for her target…

Quickly snatching her hand, he sat up and regarded her.

Lying with both hands held in front of her, she realised that grabbing at his cock probably wasn’t the best idea she’d ever had. His outline stood out in the darkness, his ears flat against his head. She could literally feel him frowning at her. _I really do have a thing about his dick_ she thought to herself, almost chuckling as she caught her breath. Silently, she waited for him to chastise her, smirking in the darkness.

“I can see you perfectly,” he said suddenly, “just so you know.”

Mortified, the smile drained from her face as it dawned on her that his vision would be as enhanced as every other sense. “Crap,” she muttered, pulling her hands free to cover her chest.

“It’s a bit late for that,” he said amusingly, his ears pricking back up.

Closing her eyes she grimaced. She’d been caught out again.

Distracted by her latest blunder she didn’t notice him move down the bed.

“This will take more than thirty seconds, you mischievous thing,” he said intently.

Suddenly she felt him pushing her knees apart, sliding his hands down the inside of her thighs. Before she could register what was happening his mouth was on her, kissing her…

Letting out a loud gasp she squirmed as his tongue moved all around her, exploring everywhere. It sent shivers through her nerves, making her whole body tremble. She thought of his beautiful face being pressed into her and let out a high moan, gripping the covers with both hands. Then his tongue started to flick across that delicate spot, making her eyes roll back into her head. An intense pulsing sensation started to build up in her nether regions, making her body ache.

Just as it started to reach a crescendo he stopped, sitting up again. She barely caught her breath before he grabbed her hips and started to push into her.

At first she could feel the pressure as her body resisted, then it yielded as he found entrance. It felt awkward, yet strangely beautiful.  She could feel her body filling up as he slid into her, pushing in as far as he could go. Then he began to thrust slowly, sliding out and back in, over and over…

She started to squeeze around him involuntarily as surging waves of pleasure radiated out all over her body. Then he pressed his thumb into her, making tiny delicate circles.

The pressure built up rapidly into a searing, mind-numbing point of intensity.

Nothing else mattered, nothing else existed.

Not the sound of her own voice, ragged and gasping as she tried to form words that might have been his name. Not the trembling of her body, helplessly captive to his expert control.

Then she climaxed, every fibre of her being lighting up in a blinding explosion of ecstasy. Every ounce of energy was drawn from her body, starting at her toes and fingertips, working its way back to the pulsing centre between her legs.

Totally consumed, it felt like every square inch of her was dissolving into the sheets. There was no use for words or thought, all that existed was the warm swimming sensation floating through her.

She vaguely felt his hands move up her body, over her face, touching her everywhere. Then his lips were on hers, softly pressing against them. Dreamily she thought of saying something, to express her gratitude for what he had just done but there weren’t words to describe it.

Gradually her senses returned, flickering back into operation.

“Are you still with me?” he asked softly.

Swallowing, she took a breath before trying to speak. “Maybe,” she murmured.

Tomoe chuckled quietly, clearly pleased with himself. “Come back to me Nanami,” he said softly.

“I’m here,” she whispered. He was on top of her now, still inside her. She felt his tail do an animated flick across her legs, softly brushing its long strands over her skin. Absently she thought of how delicious it felt, like the sensation of a long haired cat rubbing itself against her, looking for attention.

“I can’t get enough of this,” he whispered, pushing into her.

Gasping she held onto his arms, feeling the muscles move under his skin. It felt magical to have him within her, like he was a part of her. She tried to wrap her legs around his waist but her energy had been completely spent. All she could manage was a twitch.

Sensing her exhaustion he withdrew, resting his warm wetness against her. “I think I’ve worn you out,” he said smugly, rubbing his nose against her cheek.

She wanted to say no, wanted to feel him fold back into her, but it was useless.

Sighing, he lifted his head up. In the dim light she could see his ears flicking around as something suddenly caught his attention. “Sorry my love, I need to check something,” he said quietly, “please stay here.”

Nanami knew she wasn’t going anywhere. She’d be lucky if she could summon the energy to roll out of bed. Despite her fatigue she felt wonderfully content, filled with a blissful satisfaction. “Damn, I was going to go jogging,” she murmured cheerily in a lame attempt at humour.

Kissing her quickly he slid out of the bed then vanished.

Chuckling, Nanami mumbled happily to herself. She felt high, like she’d been drinking more the spiked sake. Engulfed in a sea of happiness, she quickly drifted off to sleep.

Outside a faint breeze rustled through the trees, making the raindrops tumble from saturated leaves. A long train of clouds ran across the night sky, passing over the moon as it glowed in the velvety darkness. In the distance, a faint rumble echoed through the heavens…

*********

Slowly blinking into partial awareness, Nanami woke up to a new day. Sunlight filled the room with a soft glow as she moved slowly to stretch and roll over. Then she realised she couldn’t, something was behind her.

In quiet delight she realised that Tomoe was there, wrapped around her. His head was buried in her hair, his soft breath running down the back of her neck.

This was bliss.

The last time she had woken up in his arms was over five hundred years ago in a violent, dangerous world. Finding him next to her in the present day was a joy beyond description.

“Good morning my love,” he whispered softly.

Realising he was awake, Nanami frowned in disappointment. She could stay like this for eternity.

“You must be starving, you didn’t eat last night,” he observed quietly, moving one of his hands over her stomach.

Realising she was famished she went to speak when he pulled her back and pressed her into the bed. “Let me make you something. No mushrooms I promise,” he joked softly before kissing her.

Then he was out of the bed, leaving her in a half conscious delirium. _I am pretty hungry_ she thought vaguely, drifting back off to sleep…

 

 

 

 


	7. Party Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The news of Kurama’s party has everyone in a frenzy as Nanami and her friends prepare for the big event. Glitz and glamour await as Otohiko weaves his magic to make it a night to remember.

“Wow, no mushrooms today,” Ami noted, peering into Nanami’s lunchbox.

“She doesn’t get those anymore,” Kei mumbled absently, scanning her phone messages. “A certain someone has stopped putting them in her food.”

Turning to grin at Ami she added, “seems she’s earned special favour recently.”

Sighing, Nanami regarded her lunch. “Well not too recently, ever since Saturday night I’ve felt like hell,” she noted, picking through her meal.

“Yeah me too, that’s the weirdest coincidence isn’t it?” Kei remarked.

“Well it’s a bit early for me,” Nanami grumbled, carelessly shovelling the exquisitely made meal into a pile. “The timing couldn’t have been worse, I was hoping for some quality time with Tomoe.”

“I think the vibes from that craptastic garage band affected us,” Kei sulked, “Those jerks totally ruined the party on Saturday night. I haven’t heard anything that bad since they let the school band have a crack at one of Kurama’s tracks.”

“Oh god don’t mention that!” Ami squealed, curling her hands into tight fists in front of her face. “I nearly cried when they butchered my favourite song!”

“Sorry fangirl didn’t mean to trigger you,” Kei said apologetically, leaning across the table to pat Ami’s hands. “Be grateful you weren’t there on Saturday night, I think they covered his latest single but the singing was so awful it was hard to tell.”

Leaning back Kei suddenly froze, gripped by a message flashing across the screen of her phone.

“Oh my god! Yes! Yes!” she roared, slapping the table repeatedly with her free hand. “It’s not a rumour!”

Both Ami and Nanami sat back, staring wide eyed as they waited for the announcement.

“Kurama is throwing a huge party this Friday night! There will be a host of VIP’s attending, as well as three hundred guests that will be randomly chosen from his fan club!” she declared loudly, sending all the students within range into a frenzy of talking and texting.

Ami went into a fit of hysterics, squealing and jiggling around in her chair. “Tell me more! Tell me more! How do you get invited?”

“It says random invitations went out by mail, people are already receiving them,” Kei replied, transfixed to the screen as texts and posts flashed by. “It’s being held in some venue in Saitama.”

Suddenly Ami grabbed Nanami’s arm, leaning in to stare fiercely into her eyes. “You have to get yourself an invitation!” she declared fervently, “then you can to take me as well!”

“Sure I will,” Nanami responded happily, “I’ll talk to Kurama and make sure you both get to come. No point being a land god if I can’t use it to get into one of his parties!”

“You are a freaking legend!” Kei bellowed, getting up and rounding behind Nanami to inflict her with a crushing bear hug.

“This is going to be so awesome!” Ami giggled, bouncing on the spot and rubbing her hands together. “I must go shopping for a new dress.”

“Hell yes! You are both booked for shopping after school,” Kei crowed, releasing Nanami and placing her hands on her hips. “We need some killer outfits for this party.”

Beaming, Nanami looked around the cafeteria. The whole room was abuzz with excitement as the word quickly spread. “This will make up for that crappy party last weekend.”

“It will wipe it from existence,” Kei declared, rubbing her thumb under her chin. “Say Nanami, are you going to have your dweeb bodyguard in tow again?”

The smile melted from Nanami’s face as she realised she’d probably have to take Mizuki with her. “Ugh,” she muttered, slapping her forehead with her palm. “I’m pretty sure I will have to bring him, sorry guys.”

“What’s with that shit? Why doesn’t Tomoe come?” Kei scathed, frowning down at Nanami. “If he’s your boyfriend you’d think he’d want to be there with you.”

Slumping dejectedly, she decided to admit the truth. “Well he hates Kurama’s music; he says it makes his ears bleed. There’s no way on earth he will come.”

“Meh. All the guys say that, it’s pure jealousy,” Kei declared, shaking her head. “Well if we have to take snake boy that’s a small compromise,” she decided, slapping Nanami’s back.

“We can always lose him in the crowd!” Ami offered, grinning wickedly.

“That’s the way Ami!” Kei chimed proudly.

Nanami realised she would have a battle getting approval to attend the party, but she was determined to go. Before she came to the shrine, she’d never been able to participate in any major social events so opportunities like this were seized with both hands.

Mizuki was certain to be a requirement; Mikage had insisted on his presence at the last party so it was likely he had been designated the role of bodyguard for the foreseeable future.

At home there was a quiet, unspoken tension in the air since the thunder god’s storm a few days ago. Tomoe had told her there was nothing to fear, but the constant presence of Otohiko and the general atmosphere of furtive vigilance was starting to persuade her otherwise.

Lost in thought she absently rubbed her wrist, running her fingers over the tiny bracelet Mikage had given her. It seemed to be invisible to normal humans; neither of her friends had noticed it at all.

“Hey what’s with the long face?” Kei asked, noticing Nanami’s pensive mood.

She hadn’t told her friends about recent events at the shrine, knowing how alarmed they would become if she divulged the details of the storm and the confrontations with Mizuki and Tomoe.  

“I’ll bet she’s unhappy because Tomoe isn’t in her class anymore,” Ami suggested. “You’ve been a bit down about that haven’t you?”

“Yeah, I do miss having him there,” Nanami agreed, glad of the diversion.

Glaring across the room, Kei pointed her phone at a cluster of girls sitting on the far side of the cafeteria. “The stalkers club are responsible for that,” she accused, scowling fiercely. “Those bitches have been waging a campaign to separate you two for ages.”

“I’m surprised it took this long to be brutally honest,” Ami admitted, looking at Nanami earnestly. “I hate to say it, but Tomoe’s always been very handsy with you at school.”

“I know,” Nanami confessed, “and this week he’s been touching my stomach, it’s really embarrassing.”

“Oh god I saw him doing that!” Kei gasped, “of course he would know what’s going on!”

Rolling her eyes and blushing, Nanami mumbled, “It’s beyond embarrassing. I’ve had to order him out of my room for the last few days; I just can’t bear having him near me when I know how good his senses are.”

Leaning over the table, Ami covered her mouth to muffle a laugh. “Oh that’s too funny!” she mumbled between chuckles. “It’s not all love and roses is it!”

“Not by a long shot,” Nanami responded sombrely. “Living with spirit beings isn’t as awesome as it sounds.”

“Well I’m glad to see there are some downsides to having a hot demon boyfriend,” Kei said, leaning over Nanami. “You were getting it too good there!”

“Trust me, it has some major drawbacks,” Nanami added, leaning onto the table and staring at her lunch. “Just look at this food, it’s perfect. Everything Tomoe does is like this.”

“I wouldn’t let it bother you Nanami, you’ve got my equivalent of Kurama,” Ami professed, smiling sadly. “You have no idea what I would sacrifice to have that dreamboat as my boyfriend.”

“Oh please!” Kei chortled, “Who wouldn’t! Half this school would slaughter each other in a blood bath to get their hands on either of them!”

Laughing, the three girls discussed their plans as the news of Kurama’s party spread through the school like wildfire.

************

“You look lovely, stop fussing,” Tomoe commented as he reclined languidly across the bed, studying his claws.

It was Friday night and the party was due to start in an hour. Nanami was in a mild state of panic, trying to choose between two pairs of shoes. “I can’t decide which ones work best with this dress,” she complained, furrowing her brow.

“They both look fine,” he stated, knowing full well his advice would be ignored.

Sliding over to the edge of the bed, he regarded her intently. “Just remember the rules for this little outing or there won’t be another one.”

Glaring, Nanami held up a shoe and considered whether to throw it at his head. “Don’t you dare boss me around! I’m the land god here!”

Rolling his eyes, Tomoe stood up and glided over to her, leaning over to plant a kiss on her forehead. “Promise me you will stay close to Mizuki and Otohiko.”

“Like I’ll have any choice,” she complained. “Why the hell do I need both of them anyway? It’s not like anyone will get near me with Mizuki hovering around.”

“Mizuki has his uses but Otohiko is a god,” he said simply. “He’s far more powerful than the snake and can see through any illusion or disguise.”

Grumping, Nanami shuffled away and found her handbag. Stuffing a pair of ballet flats onto her feet, she crossed her arms and stared at him. “Alright I’m done,” she announced.

“Please be careful,” he said softly, moving close to her again and running a hand over her stomach.

“Oh for the love of god, please stop doing that!” she exclaimed, grabbing his arm by the wrist. “I told you I’m fine now! This is why you got moved out of my class you idiot!”

Frowning, Tomoe flicked his tail in a wide arc. “I can see I’m not needed here, why don’t you find Otohiko and get this over and done with.”

“Fine!” she responded, releasing his hand and stomping out the door.

Grumbling, Nanami entered the main hall and waited for her two escorts. Scuffing her shoes impatiently against the polished boards, she heard a strangling noise from behind her.

Suddenly her arm was grabbed forcefully. Gasping, she found herself being dragged backwards down the corridor.

Before she could lodge a complaint, Otohiko had towed her into Mikage’s room. Stumbling, she nearly fell over as he released her arm. Clutching her bag she straightened up then froze as she met the angry glare of the wind god.

“What the hell is this?” Otohiko barked, waving one hand up and down.

“What?” she responded, completely confused.

“Is this what you are wearing? What do you think this is, a visit your grandmothers?” he snapped.

Insulted, Nanami retorted, “like you know anything about the latest fashions! You’re wearing a white feather boa with tiny denim shorts!”

“At least I don’t look like I murdered the curtains to make my outfit!” he quipped, placing a hand against his chest.

“Well Tomoe told me I look lovely,” Nanami answered, pouting fiercely.

Groaning, Otohiko rolled his eyes. “Well he would, he’d make you wear a bag over your head if he could manage it.”

“Ugh! I’m out of here!” Nanami declared, heading for the door.

Before she could reach the exit, her face was buried in a sea of white feathers.

“What would you say if I could make you look like a starlet?” Otohiko purred seductively, gently taking one of her hands. “If we’re going to do this together, you need to look the part.”

Turning Nanami to face him he added, “You’re a god, not some simpering little fangirl going for a peek at her idol. You have VIP tickets for a reason sweetie; you don’t belong downstairs in the thronging masses.”

Slowly pulling the feather boa from around Nanami’s neck he declared, “Your place is with the elite now, among the rich and beautiful. It’s time you shone with all the other stars.”

Blinking, Nanami stared at Otohiko. “You can do that?” she asked curiously.

“Hell yes, you’ve got the makings of a true goddess under all that drab. Interested?” he asked, smiling warmly. “I dressed you in an Ofurisode kimono at the god summit, remember that? Contemporary fashion is a cinch in comparison.”

Looking down at her shoes, Nanami considered how she would look in a room full of glamorous, perfect people. Then she thought about meeting Kurama in her simple dress and plain shoes…

Glancing up at Otohiko, a small smile crossed her lips. “Do it,” she said intently.

Grinning, he clasped his hands together. “This is going to be fun!” he declared, “You’ll be the talk of the town by the time I’m finished with you Cinderella!”

**********

“Now that’s more like it,” Otohiko declared, rubbing his thumb under his chin.

Standing in front of a full length mirror, Nanami stared at the image reflected in the glass. “Can I really pull this off?” she said quietly, running her hands down the front of her dress.

“You already are,” he said smugly.

Otohiko had chosen a short modern kimono dress in black silk, sparsely patterned with tiny red strands of cherry blossoms. A wide leather sash belt wrapped around Nanami’s waist and matched the black strappy heels on her feet. Smoothed and rolled into long curling waves, her hair danced softly around her face.

“I’m not used to seeing myself in makeup, I look so different,” Nanami said quietly, touching her red lips. “That trick with the eyeliner is something you will have to teach me.”

“Absolutely sweetie, it makes such a difference doesn’t it?” he remarked, adjusting the back of her dress.

Looking down, Nanami moved the position of the fabric as it crossed over her chest. “I wish I had bigger boobs, this would look even better.”

“Hell no!” Otohiko exclaimed, slapping his hand against his chest. “You have a beautiful little figure, don’t you dare go adding a nasty set of fake tits! This look is straight out of the latest Vogue and that girl had a lot less up top than you do.”

Smiling, Nanami regarded herself again. This felt good. Really good. She looked like a woman, not a gangly teenager. And she sensed the power of something she’d never experienced before – she felt sexy.

“Now it’s my turn,” Otohiko announced, standing back and waving his hands through the air. Suddenly his form blurred and he transformed into a smaller, completely female version of himself. Wearing an identical outfit in white, his dark red hair bounced around his shoulders in long ringlets.

“Ta da!” he exclaimed, executing a pirouette.

Blinking, Nanami stared at him as he pressed a small black purse into one of her hands. “Stuff in as much as you like, it’s much bigger on the inside,” he instructed. “I’ll go and round up Mizuki, he should be ready by now.”

As she emptied the contents of her bag into the seemingly endless void of the purse, Otohiko sauntered out of the room. Returning with a wide eyed Mizuki; he pressed a finger to his ruby red lips.

“Okay, nobody can hear us at the moment”, he advised, “but once we leave the range of the sound stone we’ll have to high tail it to the Night Fog Carriage.”

“Is that why I couldn’t hear you…”

Mizuki’s words trailed off as he suddenly noticed Nanami. Eyes bulging, he gaped open mouthed while making a small strangling sound. “Mistress?” he squeaked.

“You look pretty sharp yourself,” Nanami chimed, extremely pleased at his response. If this was the reaction she could incite, it was going to be a fun night.

“That ensemble looks good on you,” Otohiko observed, looking Mizuki over. “I knew you could carry off a white suit with a dark shirt.”

Sashaying over to the screen doors, he gestured at the pair to follow him. “Okay, time to get out of here before Mikage gets back,” he stated, sliding them open.

Spinning around, he struck a pose. “It’s party time!”

***********

As they sped to their destination, Nanami peered down at the sea of lights filling the landscape with the patterns of civilisation. The world looked magical at night from on high, like a carnival filled with excitement and life, its exotic secrets lurking in the dark corners between the twinkling lights.

“Okay, time for the battle plan,” Otohiko announced.

“Firstly, my name is Oti,” he stated, looking intently at Nanami. “I’m your cousin. Get used to the idea of me being a girl and speak to me accordingly.”

Turning to face Mizuki he continued, “Secondly, nobody gets near Nanami. Don’t let anybody make physical contact with her or I’ll tear you another arsehole. Understood?”

“Yes Sir! Or, um, ma’am?” Mizuki responded, looking somewhat embarrassed.

“You did a lousy job of guarding her at the last party, see it doesn’t happen again!” Oti scolded, waggling a finger.

Frowning, Nanami realised there was more to this rebuke than she was aware of. “What do you mean?” she enquired, staring at Oti.

“I suspect both you and your friend Kei were interfered with, but I can’t be sure. I didn’t see you till the next day,” Oti responded, glaring witheringly at Mizuki.

“What? How could you know that?” Nanami asked, narrowing her eyes.

“I see a great many things you cannot, including the signs of magical intrusion,” she answered coolly, turning to look intently at Nanami. “Don’t let anyone near you tonight.”

“What about my friends? Can’t I even hug them?” Nanami asked, more than a little concerned by Oti’s admission.

“Let me make contact with them first,” Oti responded, “Then you can hug them all you want.”

Clapping her hands together, the wind god shook her head and took a deep breath. “Alright. Now that’s done, I must prepare you both for the onslaught.”

Taking one of their hands each, Oti smiled majestically. “Expect a lot of attention, but don’t let it go to your head. Stay cool, calm and collected. Being fabulous is an art. Make it look like you do this every day.”

Smiling, Mizuki asked, “So we should be nonchalant and aloof? I can do that, I’ve attended many god summits where that is practically the norm.”

“Exactly!” Oti chimed, squeezing Mizuki’s hand. “I knew you could handle this, you were a sacred familiar for centuries.”  

Tilting her head, Oti regarded Nanami with a shrewd smirk. “Nanami. Half close your eyes and give me a little smile.”

Nanami did as she was told, giving her hair an absent flick.

“Perfect! That’s your default face, no wide eyed stares or grinning,” She advised, “even when you are completely gobsmacked by what you see or hear.”

Releasing their hands, Oti pulled herself up straight and arranged her hair. “Alright, we’re almost there. Put your game faces on, it’s time for our entrance.”

************

As they approached the venue, Nanami could see a mass of people milling around the main doors, spilling out onto the street. A wall of cars slowly moved along the road as pedestrians weaved their way through the traffic. The humming of people, vehicles and music filled the night air.

“We’re not going in through that,” Oti announced, “We’ll be arriving via the VIP entry.”

The Night Fog Carriage floated slowly around the brightly lit building, finally coming to rest on a wide balcony. Hooking arms with her companions, Oti levitated them simultaneously into the air and floated out over the smooth flagstone surface. Coming to land neatly at a large arched doorway, she gave them both a sideways glance before they entered the building.

The darkly lit room before them was crammed with people, all moving around a large ornate central bar. Gothic architecture loomed from the walls, arching up towards a vast shallow dome. The atmosphere was filled with the murmuring of voices, glasses chinking and the deep pulsating vibration of one of Kurama’s dance tracks.

A tall man in an elegant suit approached them, holding out his gloved hand palm up. Oti unhooked her arm from Mizuki’s and smoothly handed him their invitation. With a subtle nod, he turned and led them to their alcove.

Nanami could sense people’s eyes following them as they made their way across the room, keeping her eyes fixed on the back of their escort. As they approached their destination, she heard her name called out from the dark recess before her…

“Oh my god!” Ami exclaimed, rising from her spot at the end of a long curved sofa. “You look incredible!”

Before Ami could reach her, Oti stepped forward and planted a kiss on her cheek. “Sweetie! You must be one of Nanami’s besties,” she said amiably.

Stunned, Ami stared at the red headed god.

Then Kei appeared next to Ami with a look of bewilderment etched into her face.

“Oh they are both so gorgeous!” Oti chimed, taking Kei’s hand. Then she winked slyly at Nanami.

“Hi guys, this is my cousin Oti,” Nanami announced, “and you already know Mizuki.”

Both girls stared mutely at Mizuki as he casually moved past them, planting himself nonchalantly on the opposite side of the sofa. “Ladies,” he said dismissively, gazing around the room.

“Why don’t I get us some drinks,” Oti suggested, batting her eyelashes at Nanami. “Non-alcoholic of course.”

“Sure,” she responded, moving between her friends to take a spot on the sofa. Immediately both girls moved into position either side of her, leaning in expectantly.

Glancing at both girls, she smiled broadly. “Isn’t this awesome!”

Both girls erupted in a cacophony of chatter, talking over each other as they described every detail from their entrance through the main doors to their arrival in the VIP room.

“This place is incredible,” Ami declared, gesturing around the room. It’s like an enormous gothic mansion. You should see downstairs, it’s like something out of a vampire movie.”

“That’s the whole idea I think, it suits Kurama’s fallen angel image,” Kei interjected, slowly regaining her normal composure. Placing her hand on Nanami’s thigh, she looked intently into her eyes. “So who’s the redhead?”

“That’s Otohiko, he’s Mikage’s boyfriend,” she responded smugly, knowing the confusion she would cause.

“That’s a guy?” Ami exclaimed, balling her fists in her lap. “Crap, he looks better than all of us!”

Chuckling, Nanami responded, “He’s transformed himself into a girl. He’s actually a god.”

“Did he give you the makeover? Because if he did, I want to hire him!” Kei declared, glancing over at Mizuki. “Damn Nanami, it’s bad enough you saunter in here looking like a catwalk model but then you bring one of your shrine hotties all pimped out as well! I feel like a damn cave dweller!”  

Laughing, the three friends settled back and examined the visual spectacle before them.

************

After an hour the girls had relaxed, chatting enthusiastically with Oti and Mizuki. The music had gradually increased in volume as the time for Kurama’s appearance approached.

“So why are you here tonight Oti?” Ami enquired, sipping her lemonade.

“Well we’ve had a bit of trouble with a jealous goddess, so I’m here to make sure Nanami doesn’t end up in a cat fight at the bar,” Oti joked.

Laughing, the girls looked around for any suspects, singling out an angry looking woman in a ridiculously low cut dress.

“That’s not her, that outfit is way too tasteful,” Mizuki drawled, making Kei giggle and bat her eyelashes at him. Clearly enjoying the attention, he smiled coolly back at her.

Then the voice of an announcer echoed around the room, making everyone stop in their tracks. Kurama was about to take the stage. The whole VIP room moved on masse towards the large balcony that wrapped around the main auditorium.

Peering down, Nanami looked across the sea of people filling the floor below. Then the lighting started to fade gradually until the room fell into complete darkness.

Suddenly a spotlight lit up the stage as Kurama hailed a greeting to the audience.

The room erupted in cheering and screaming, sending waves of piercing sound echoing through the air. Nanami could feel the floor vibrate slightly as the surging sea of humanity below sent small tremors through the building.

Dressed in a long black coat, Kurama started to sing one of his top tracks. Ami went into a fit, squealing and jiggling hysterically.

Nanami could see the light glinting off his diamante choker, the sheen of the black silk shirt unbuttoned over his chest as he moved…

“Damn he looks so fucking hot!” Kei exclaimed, grabbing Nanami’s arm. “Just look at his hair! And his clothes!” she swooned, staring at the stage.

Glancing across the balcony Nanami could see similar expressions mirrored on every face as the audience fell under Kurama’s hypnotic spell. She could feel the beat of the music through her chest as the light show started to strobe around the room, dazzling her senses.

“This is amazing!” she said loudly to Kei, “This whole night has been amazing!”

 “This is heaven!” Kei answered, grinning from ear to ear.

“I love you guys!” Ami blared, completely lost in the moment. “I love him, I love everything!”

The show rolled on for another hour with gradually increasing intensity before he suddenly bade the audience farewell in a dramatic finale. As the crowd erupted in cheering and screaming, the lights went out, plunging the room into complete darkness.

Then the lights slowly returned, restoring to their pre-show ambience. The music resumed at a much lower volume as the inhabitants of the VIP room returned to their seats or milled around the bar.

Making their way back to their alcove, the group variously arranged themselves on the long curved sofa.

“That was the greatest moment of my entire life,” Ami breathed, clutching her drink with both hands. “I could die happy right now.”

“The Tengu puts on a decent show,” Oti commented, looking casually around the room. “I expect he’ll be doing the rounds of the VIP area soon.”

“What?” Ami exclaimed, almost dropping her glass.

“That’s the usual thing,” Mizuki commented, looking across at Kei.

“More lemonade ladies?” Oti enquired, “You must be parched from all that yelling.”

Sauntering off to the bar, she left the three friends under the watchful gaze of Mizuki.

“I can’t talk to him,” Ami declared, fumbling her glass noisily onto the table and knitting her hands over her chest. “I’ll completely case up.”

“Me too,” Kei admitted, sipping the last of her lemonade. “That performance was way too intense; it’ll take me days to recover.”

Looking at her friends, Nanami realised she wouldn’t be capable of keeping her composure in front of Kurama either. Maintaining a cool visage was one thing, but actually talking to him after watching the fan fuelled frenzy of hundreds of people was a very different matter.

Returning with their drinks, Oti gestured at Nanami to stand up. “Come here,” she cooed, wrapping an arm around her waist and turning her to face the bar.

Looking across the room, Nanami spotted Kurama making his way slowly through the crowd, smiling and shaking hands.

“Game face sweetie,” Oti whispered in her ear. “He’s going to find us eventually so let’s get this over with. Imagine him as the annoying jerk you see at school, lapping up the attention of all those moronic girls.”

Nanami stared into the distance; filling her mind with as many images as she could conjure up, especially the one where Tomoe turned Kurama into an ostrich. Then her attention was distracted by someone saying her name…

“Nanami?” Kurama said loudly, looking straight at her across the room.

Oti gave her a pinch in the side as he sauntered directly towards her. “Oh here we go, prepare for the schmoozing,” she murmured, looking sideways with a detached indifference.

Nanami knew what to do. Half closing her eyes, she gave him a small smile. “Kurama,” she answered coolly, focusing on his choker to avoid his burning stare.

“It’s wonderful to see you,” he said smoothly, reaching for one of her hands.

Oti immediately grabbed it before he could make contact. “Hands off, Tengu,” she reprimanded, glaring at him intently.

“Hello Otohiko,” he drawled, looking Oti up and down. “I’m not surprised to see you here, Ookuninushi’s lurking about somewhere.”

“What?” Oti squeaked, glancing around the room.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Kurama quickly grabbed Nanami’s hand and brought it to his lips. Kissing her fingers lightly, he softly whispered, “You look incredible.”

Looking straight into his large kohl rimmed eyes, Nanami froze.

“Alright, enough dribbling,” Oti snapped, snatching Nanami’s hand away. “Don’t you have other people to ingratiate yourself upon?”

Ignoring Oti, he stared back at Nanami. Time stopped for a moment as they said nothing, an ocean of unspoken thoughts drifting in the space between them.

Then a tall blonde girl pressed herself against Kurama’s arm, pouting fiercely at him. “Don’t keep us waiting,” she simpered, “all the girls want to see you.”

Coolly he turned his gaze from Nanami, giving the blonde a small smile. “Of course,” he responded, stepping back slightly to detach the girl from his arm before turning to head to the next table.

“Thank god that’s over with,” Oti murmured before Ami and Kei pushed themselves in each side of Nanami.

“Did you see him,” Ami breathed, “he looked do delicious and sinister I could just gobble him up.”

“Whoa!” Kei gasped, “It sounds like Ami’s gone over to the dark side!”

Chuckling, Oti herded the girls back into their alcove to finish their drinks. Mizuki was still reclining on the sofa, rolling his eyes as they took their seats. “Such a fuss over nothing,” he muttered to himself.

Smiling, Nanami thought of how wonderful the evening had been. As she looked around at her friends, a quiet joy filled her heart. Not so long ago, her world had been very different. Silently she revelled in the moment as the sounds of the party filled the air.

 

 

 

 

 


	8. Dark Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The party rolls to a close; soon it will be time to leave. Nanami and her friends go for a final walk around the club to take in the splendour of the venue…

“We should think about heading home,” Oti announced after a short time, glancing over at Mizuki. “This place will revert back to a club soon so all the underage guests will have to leave.”

“Same here,” Kei added, “Ami is staying at my place tonight, we don’t want to be out too late.”

“Can we go for a walk before we leave?” Nanami asked eagerly, “I haven’t seen a fraction of this place from our alcove.” She was keen to make the most of her moment of glamour and soak up the ambience before reverting back to her ordinary self.

Pausing for a moment, Oti considered the proposition. “Fair enough, let’s do a lap before we leave,” she decided, rising gracefully from the couch.

They all strolled around the long internal balcony, taking in the grandeur of the elaborate gothic architecture and opulent furnishings. Reaching the far side, they found an exit out onto a vast external balcony scattered with thick potted hedges, low slung sofas and floor standing candelabras.

“This place gets more amazing by the minute,” Ami commented, peering around at the general splendour. “I wonder who owns it.”

“That would be me,” a voice chimed from behind.

Turning around, Nanami recognised the tall fair god immediately. Dressed in a floor length white robe with his shoulders covered by a lavishly embroidered cloak, he posed regally before them.

“Ookuninushi!” Oti blurted out, pressing her hands against her cheeks.

“Are you here to escort the lovely land god?” he enquired, smiling warmly at Nanami. “She does look delicious tonight.”

“Oh yes! She’s never been to such a glamourous event in the human world,” Oti responded, swooning hopelessly.

Gazing around the group, the god of wealth toyed absently with the edge of his cloak. “Why don’t you all join my entourage for a short time? I know the younger humans will have to leave soon, so come and liven us up for a few minutes before you go.”

“Of course!” Oti chimed, hooking arms with Nanami. “I’m sure they will be thrilled to experience the magnificence of your hospitality.”

Turning on his heels to flare his cloak Ookuninushi sauntered off, leaving them to follow behind.

Glancing at each other, they followed the god of wealth as he glided between the hedges until they arrived at an open area filled with enormous chaise lounges. In the centre a single gilded throne sat positioned on a low dais. Elaborately garbed people milled about sipping drinks and nibbling snacks as they were served by huge grey rabbits dressed in traditional servant robes.

“Take a seat and enjoy yourselves,” Ookuninushi offered, “This area is shielded so you can take your ease.” Then he drifted off to take his place on the throne where a cluster of people awaited his attentions.

Cautiously they sat down, sinking into the lush velvet covers.

“Should we be here?” Ami asked carefully, goggling at the spectacle before them.

Kei gave her an anxious glance, clearly alarmed by the presence of the oversized lagomorphs. “Those things are freaking me out,” she murmured, clutching her purse in her lap.

“You can see them?” Mizuki asked, surprised that the girls were able to view the servants. “That is unusual.” He stayed standing, surveying the area intently. “I wasn’t aware there would be spirit beings at this event.”

“Well Ookuninushi owns the building so it’s not surprising,” Oti responded, her eyes fixed on the gilded throne.

Suddenly she rose from her chair, turning look intently at Mizuki. “Just give me a few minutes and then we’ll leave, this area is well protected,” she stated before sashaying over to the swarm of people surrounding the god of wealth.

Mizuki rolled his eyes, watching Oti disappear into the throng. “Someone will probably have to drag her out of there eventually.”

“I see Otohiko is one of his admirers,” drawled a voice from behind Nanami. Looking up, she turned to see Kurama walk around the side of her chair.

Ami cased up, making a small strangling sound while Kei stared at him like she was possessed.

Mizuki stepped forward, levelling a scowl at him. “Since when did you start having gods and spirits attend your shows?”

“They’re part of Ookuninushi’s retinue apparently, I had no idea he owned the place,” he answered smoothly. “My manager booked it, to be fair it’s a pretty amazing venue.”

“It’s incredible,” Nanami commented, smiling up at him. “It certainly wowed us.”

“Glad to hear it,” he chimed, leaning in and taking one of her hands. “Say, would you like to see more of the place?”

“No way!” Mizuki growled, moving between them. “She’s not allowed to leave my side! Oti will skin you alive.”

“You and the party girl are way over the top,” he retorted, “what’s the deal?”

“We’ve had some problems with a nasty god recently,” Nanami interjected, “but we haven’t had a whiff of trouble here all night.” If Princess Narukami had wanted to harm her, there had been more than enough time to execute an attack over the last week.

Mizuki furrowed his brow as he carefully considered her statement. “You are correct mistress; there’s been nothing suspicious, not even in this area.”

Leaning towards Mizuki, she quietly made a suggestion. “It might be a good idea if we leave for a bit; my friends really aren’t comfortable here. We can come back in a few minutes and see if Oti’s finished drooling over Ookuninushi.”  

He turned to regard Kei, whose focus had returned to the enormous rabbits. As one walked past her chair she nearly crawled into Ami’s lap. “I have to agree, this area really isn’t appropriate for humans. We’re only here because of Oti and I honestly don’t think she’s going to notice if we’re gone for a few minutes.”

“So we’re off then?” Kurama asked, placing Nanami’s hand on his arm.

Kei jumped to her feet, grabbing Ami’s arm and pulling her up out of the chair. “Hell yes, I’m done with this creepy place!”

Together they briskly made their way out of Ookuninushi’s enclave, back into the realm of humans.

*************

Strolling along the seemingly endless external balcony, they weaved their way through a maze of chairs and shrubs. In the dim light Nanami could see people’s faces flickering in and out of view, the shimmer of glassware twinkling in the darkness. This was an adult domain, full of intrigues and furtive exchanges. Freed from the constant supervision of Otohiko, she finally had the space to absorb the atmosphere of this rich exotic demesne.

Kurama moved through it with ease, blending in perfectly with his long black coat and darkly smouldering façade. “It’s so good to be in the company of someone who knows me well,” he remarked, smiling warmly at her.

As they passed through a row of large hedges, a group of well dressed women descended on him. He gracefully fended off their pawing and compliments, excusing himself to continue walking.

“How do you put up with that?” Nanami asked, watching the light glint off his diamante choker.

Emitting a low deep chuckle, he patted her hand as it rested on his arm. She could feel the touch of his warm skin contrasting against the hard metallic rings adorning his fingers.

“It’s all part of the job,” he responded softly. “I’ll admit I do like the attention, but by the end of the day it starts to wear thin.”

Nanami could feel a great ease flowing through her, a sense of comfort and peace. Her hand tingled lightly under Kurama’s touch, such a warm comforting sensation.

They continued on for a few minutes, gliding through the dark mysterious landscape as the lights from the nightclub started to flash through the atmosphere. The time for Nanami and her friends to leave had arrived. Gazing up at the sky, she noticed the stars twinkling dimly through the haze of luminosity.

Rounding a small bar, they came to the end of the balcony. The area was clear of furnishings and people, the faint light reflecting off the smooth polished flagstone floor.

Kurama stopped, turning to look behind them. “Where have they gone?” he remarked, arching an eyebrow.

Taking her hand from his arm, Nanami peered back down the long veranda. Her friends had disappeared.

“Oh this isn’t good,” she remarked, rubbing her palms together. Her fingers were still tingling as she started to feel a strange, soft pulsating sensation hum through her body.

Kurama narrowed his eyes, looking intently at her. “Would you like to see something amazing?”

“I should probably…” the words trailed off as her mind started to lose focus.

She stared up at the starlit sky, suddenly amazed by how beautiful it was. It was much darker here, there were no windows allowing light out from the club. “It’s such a clear night,” she murmured absently, wondering what could have possibly distracted her from such a stunning view.

“Would you like to see it better?” he asked audaciously, suddenly pulling her close. “Hang on.”

Nanami felt a rush of air as his large black wings unfolded behind him, fanning out briefly before they surged towards the ground. Instinctively she grabbed the front of his coat as they lifted into the air.

Letting out an involuntary squeal, Nanami pressed her eyes shut to avoid watching the ground disappear below her. Her ears filled with the sound of feathers driving through the air as they ascended to the top of the building.

As her feet touched solid ground, she let out a gasp and pushed herself away from him. “You could have warned me!” she exclaimed, “I nearly dropped my purse!”

Laughing lightly he folded his wings up, gesturing widely with one hand. “Look around you.”

They were at the top of the building, standing under a large dome that capped the uppermost floor. Four huge black marble pillars held up the cavernous roof as it soared another two stories above them. Far below, the glittering lights of civilization cast a dull glow up into the air.

“Spectacular isn’t it? We’re twenty five stories up here,” he remarked, looking out across the night sky.

Realising there was no railing, Nanami backed away from the edge. “It’s beautiful, but…” she responded nervously.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be able to catch you if you fall off,” he joked, moving towards her. “Here,” he said, offering his hand.

She took it quickly, moving slightly behind him to put some distance between herself and the edge. The feeling of his warm hand touching hers made her feel immediately relieved.

“Sorry I didn’t mean to frighten you, I wanted to share the view,” he said softly, turning to face her. Unfolding his wings he fanned them forward, encircling her in a screen of shiny black feathers.

“That’s better,” she breathed, “your wings are cutting out the breeze too.”

“I’m really not doing well here am I?” he admitted, “I don’t know what’s come over me, dragging you up here.” Then he let go of her hand, reaching around her to pull her close...

Nanami felt the heat of his body as he held her against his chest. Sighing quietly, she rested her cheek against his shoulder, allowing the warmth to spread through her. A feeling of comfort filled her mind, a blissful sense of serenity.

Then his other arm moved around her, his hand coming to rest lightly on the back of her head. Her senses started to fill with the scent of his aftershave, rich and intoxicating. The feel of his black silk shirt against her skin, so smooth and soft…

“You are so very, very beautiful,” he whispered, running his fingers through her hair. “You have the soul of an angel; you deserve to be among the gods.”

His words rolled through her mind like sweet music, lulling her softly. “You say such wonderful things,” she murmured, drifting into a dreamlike state. “Nobody ever talks to me like this.”

“Then he’s a fool,” he whispered intently, “You are exquisite.”

“You’re so perfect,” she murmured, running her hand over his chest. “So sweet, so pretty, so kind…” the words trailed off as her eyes closed. Her thoughts drifted back to the time she spent in his apartment after Princess Narukami stole her god mark. Suddenly homeless, he had found her sitting in the park and offered her shelter without hesitation. She remembered lying in his bed, on his sheets, surrounded by the fragrance of him. He had been so compassionate and generous…

His cheek was resting against her forehead, his soft breath touching her skin.

Leaning down, Kurama brushed his lips lightly over her cheek until he found her mouth. Pausing, he breathed, “I, I can’t help myself, tell me to…”

Nanami’s mind filled with thoughts of him; his gentle nature, his glamourous charismatic presence. The screams of countless adoring women, all of them falling under his spell, even her friends. And she had him here in this moment…

His hand slid smoothly down her back, over her bottom, his fingers pulling up the back of her dress…

Through the haze of mental intoxication, Nanami started to feel her skin tingle all over. Not a pleasant sensation, more like the prickle of static.

It ramped up quickly to an uncomfortable level, suddenly breaking her train of thought. She stepped back from Kurama, making him release her.

“What the hell is that?” he breathed, obviously feeling the same sensation. Then he dropped to his knees…

Clutching his head, he muttered something before becoming engulfed in light and suddenly disappearing.

Stunned, Nanami stood gasping into the night air as a sharp stinging sensation erupted all over her skin. The world started to fade as she was enveloped in brightness.

*************

Blinking, she felt a snap echo through her head as she suddenly reappeared. It was still night time, the cool air wafting over her skin as the soft humming of a distant cricket reached her ears.

Winded, she fell to her knees. Blurrily she gazed around, gulping in breaths as she tried to survey the landscape.

She was in the grounds of the shrine. 

“Oh thank goodness,” she muttered, almost kissing the ground as she slumped forward in relief.

Turning her head she looked reverently at her abode, relieved beyond measure to see its soft welcoming lights glowing in the darkness.

Hearing a noise behind her, she sat up slowly…

“What have you done?” a voice breathed from behind her.

Suddenly she was pushed forward into the grass. Then she felt the weight of someone sitting on the back of her thighs, pinning her down. She couldn’t see who it was...

“Faithless bitch!” the voice spat loudly.

She recognised it immediately.

“I can smell that filthy Tengu all over you!” he snarled.

She wanted to say something, try to explain herself, but she couldn’t. How she had ended up in Kurama’s arms was a complete mystery, it made no sense…

“You let him run his fucking hands all over you and you dare to question my loyalty?” Tomoe growled.

Nanami felt his hand move over her backside, lifting her dress to hook a finger into her knickers.

“What the hell was he doing here?” he spat as his claw started ripping through the fabric.

Then a wave of pressure thumped through the space behind her, almost turning her over. Suddenly she was freed.

Looking up she saw Mikage running down the stairs; across the grass… he tore past her, barrelling towards the trees that bordered the shrine.

Flipping over, she kept her eyes fixed on him as he headed into the night. Then a flash of white light erupted in the darkness of the saplings...

“She’s got him!” Mikage wailed. “Dammit!”

Stunned, Nanami sat transfixed as she realised, the bright light… Tomoe was gone.

The shrine’s attendants burst out onto the veranda. Calling out her name, they started tearing through the air towards her.

“Don’t touch her!” Mikage yelled.

“What’s going on?” she yelled raggedly. Then the horrible prickling started to erupt all over her flesh again.

“No!” she screamed, clutching her head between her hands as the pain consumed her. The world blurred suddenly as Mikage lunged towards her, his mouth open, saying…

She was gone, back into the abyss.

****************

Slowly opening her eyes, Nanami’s vision was filled with a sea of soft green grass.

Blinking, she carefully sat up. She was surrounded by a beautiful park, the warm sun shining down on her from a clear blue sky. Gazing around her she noted the long wooden benches, clusters of shrubs and tall elegant trees dotting the landscape.

This wasn’t a place she recognised.

Pausing, she wondered how she had come to be lying there in the middle of the day. The last thing she could remember was attending a glamourous party, Kurama’s performance, large rabbits serving food… oh, hang on, Kurama. Was that real, or had she just dreamt it when she returned home?

A small child wandered up to her, smiling happily through a half-eaten ice cream cone. Wearing a pink dress tied with a large white bow, the little girl regarded her through a cloud of beautiful golden curls.

“Where did you come from miss?” the child asked.

Nanami couldn’t come up with an answer. “I’m not sure; can you tell me the name of this park?”

“I don’t know,” the child responded, absently scuffing her little pink shoes in the grass.

Sighing, she noticed that her purse was missing. Then she realised she was still wearing her party dress and heels…

“Your hair is a mess and you’ve got grass on your face,” the little girl said, tilting her head to the side and smirking. “You’re a trashy looking thing, is that why all the boys want to fuck you?”

“What!” Nanami exclaimed, completely gobsmacked. _I must be dreaming_ she thought, staring at the golden haired child. Then she remembered how she had come to look so dishevelled; the shrine, Tomoe pushing her to the ground, Mikage running towards her yelling something…

Nanami’s stomach churned as it dawned on her that she must have been transported here. Desperately she scoured the park for anyone she knew; maybe they were here too...

A large lake caught her eye, the bright sun shimmering off its flawlessly smooth surface. Something wasn’t right; everything looked too perfect, too clean.  

Then she noticed the dark masses dotting the edge of the lake, lying in the shallows.

“That’s where they all go eventually,” the little girl said, pointing at the large body of water. “It’s the only way to leave here.”

Staring wide eyed at the child, Nanami felt a shot of cold fear run down her spine.

The little girl bit into her cone, letting the soft white ice cream run down her chin. Then she giggled, a high pitched sound devoid of any warmth or feeling. “You can try as much as you like, but there’s no way out. Eventually you’ll go mad and join the rest of them,” the child drawled, grinning at her. “Why don’t you go and do it now.”

“Do what?” Nanami stammered, now terrified. Who could this child be…

“Drown yourself of course. I want to see it,” the child remarked, tilting her head. “Then I can come back whenever I please and enjoy watching you rot.”

Lurching to her feet Nanami scoured the area, looking for an exit. The parklands seemed to roll on forever, stretching out into the distance.

“Why have you done this?” she asked desperately.

“You have something you don’t deserve,” the little blonde girl replied. “Now he knows what you are, he will give himself to me willingly.”

“No,” Nanami breathed, staring wide eyed at the tiny creature before her. “You can’t do this.”

“Watch me,” the child growled, taking a large lick of the remaining ice cream.

Slowly she moved a tiny hand up towards her face, brushing aside the golden ringlets. A huge pair of dark eyes gazed up, empty pools of lifeless shadow sitting within the pink fleshy softness of her face. “How anyone could sanctify such a union is incomprehensible,” she rumbled in a voice filled with loathing.

Horrified, Nanami tried to back away from the dreadful glare of the little being. Feeling her heels sinking into the lush grass, she hastily pulled them off. She had to come up with something, some sort of plan. She didn’t have her purse; it was stocked with her talismans…

Then she felt a sharp burning pain erupt on her wrist. Lifting her arm, she saw Mikage’s bracelet glowing brightly against her skin. Clutching it, she felt a tingling sensation break out all over her body. _Oh please, please find me_ she thought as the little girl started to wail loudly…

Suddenly the sharp prickling began and she closed her eyes, welcoming the discomfort as the feeling of soft grass disappeared from beneath her feet.

**************

Darkness was all around her, invading her mind.

It was still and quiet. No horribly picturesque landscapes hiding festering corpses, no impossibly beautiful children with dead eyes uttering dreadful things. Just peace.

Then she felt the hardness of wood beneath her feet as the main hall of the shrine snapped into view.

Crumpling to the floor, Nanami clutched her chest as she tried to suck air into her lungs. She couldn’t breathe; something was wrong…

“Don’t touch her!” Mizuki yelled.

Gasping, she lay on the floor as the room swirled around her. Then the atmosphere seemed to thicken and she could feel air entering her mouth, slowly moving down her throat. Trembling, she looked across and saw Mikage on the other side of the room, lying in the arms of Otohiko. His glasses were sitting on the polished floorboards, the lenses cracked and frosted with a pale blue sheen.

“Nanami!” a girl’s voice wailed behind her. “Please don’t die!”

Recognising Ami’s voice, she managed to lift a hand shakily to indicate she was alive.

“Try to sit up mistress,” Mizuki urged her. “I need to anchor you.”

Pushing herself upright, Nanami felt the smooth sensation of scales sliding against her back. Then a huge white head turned to regard her, its sea green eyes glinting in the light.

“Let’s see her try and teleport my avatar,” Mizuki stated smugly.

Leaning against the enormous snake, she looked blearily across at him. “What’s going on?” she asked hoarsely, the words catching in her throat.

“You’ve been enchanted mistress,” he replied quietly, looking at her intently. “It happened at the party; it appears to have been passed on by physical contact.”

“What?” she gasped, knitting her brow.

“Kei and Mizuki were hexed too!” Ami blurted out, moving into view. “They both got teleported to a park near the club…”

“Mizuki, please come here and help me,” Otohiko interjected, “I need to get Mikage into bed.”

Moving out of view behind the body of the snake, Mizuki talked quietly with the wind god before leaving the room.

“They just carried poor Mikage out,” Ami explained, looking down the corridor. “He had a lot of trouble finding you; he said you were hidden somewhere.”

Thinking of the dreadful park, Nanami crossed her arms over her chest. “I was sent to a park too, but it was some sort of prison. There were bodies lying around a lake, this freaky little girl told me the only way to leave was to drown myself…”

She stopped talking as she realised Ami’s mouth was hanging open.

“That’s horrible! Who would want you to die?” the little redhead squeaked, clearly distressed by Nanami’s tale.

“Princess Narukami,” Mizuki stated, coming back into view. “This has all been part of a carefully executed plan.”

Clasping her hands together, Ami stared at him uncomprehendingly. “Who’s she?”

“She’s the god of thunder. And now she has her prize,” he stated flatly, crossing his arms and staring at the floor.

Suddenly Nanami realised Tomoe wasn’t there, he’d been taken…

“I’ve got to stop her!” she exclaimed, lurching forward onto her hands. “I’ve been set up!” she wailed, trying to force her legs to work.

“Please stay put mistress, that enchantment will wear off shortly,” Mizuki instructed carefully. “If she takes you again, you won’t be coming back.”

Staring up at him, Nanami realised the futility of her situation.

As she slumped back against the cool white scales of her protector she covered her face with her hands. Tomoe had been snatched away, believing her to be disloyal just moments before he was transported into the clutches of the princess.

She remembered the feeling of Kurama’s warm soft lips on her skin and felt the conflict within herself, the realisation that she had wanted to feel his touch, hear his sweet beautiful words… The thoughts were stuck in her head, like a song that she didn’t want to remember, repeating endlessly over and over.

It was torture; she couldn’t stop it no matter how hard she tried. The tears started to flow, like an ocean of grief pouring endlessly into her hands.

The shrine’s attendants floated around her, covering her shoulders carefully with a blanket as they tried to comfort her. Ami sat in front of her, studying her anxiously as she held a cup of tea in her hands.

“Please don’t cry mistress,” Mizuki mumbled, shuffling out of the room.

Ami leaned forward, depositing the tea on the floor in front of Nanami. “Hang in there, you’ll feel better soon. Just wait and see.”

Outside, a strong breeze filled the night with the hum of a thousand leaves dancing through the air. The moon shone down over the shrine, casting its cold indifferent light over the long empty veranda.

 


	9. Cheap Regrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Safely returned, Nanami is left to contemplate her actions. But she’s not alone, everyone has made mistakes and together they share their regrets. Plans are made to overcome their greatest challenge yet, but they will need the assistance of someone very powerful. Can they convince them to come to their aid?

Nanami sipped her cup of tea, feeling the relief wash over her.

The effects of the enchantment were wearing off; her mind wasn’t awash with thoughts of Kurama anymore. The empty space it left behind was welcome respite, but it was slowly filling with profound uncertainty and a deep, lingering shame. The spell had taken over her mind so easily, elevating her affections for Kurama to a level of desire that shouldn’t have been possible…

Leaning against the smooth scales of Mizuki’s avatar, she noticed the soft glow of sunrise start to fill the atmosphere outside.

“What time is it?” She asked Ami quietly.

The little redhead was sitting at a low table nearby, devouring a bowl of noodles the shrine attendants had prepared. “It’s almost six am,” she mumbled between mouthfuls. “I’ll have to head off soon, I’ve gotta sneak back to Kei’s place before anyone realises I’m gone.”

Adjusting her blanket, Nanami realised she had been absent from the real world for some time. “How long have been gone for?” she asked apprehensively.

Putting down her bowl, Ami swallowed quickly before turning to face her friend. “Sorry, I was starving.” Moving to sit on the floor in front of Nanami she knitted her fingers together in her lap, pausing as she considered what to say.

“You were gone for over seven hours,” she said levelly, trying to maintain her composure.

“It felt like only a few minutes,” Nanami responded sombrely, her eyes wide as she glanced around the room.

“I’m supposed to wait until Otohiko returns to say this, but I’m going to burst if I hold off any longer,” Ami admitted, “So here goes. It wasn’t just you, Kei and Mizuki who got teleported. A whole bunch of people ended up in the park near the club, including Kurama.”

“I take it they were they all enchanted?” Nanami asked quietly, letting her eyes sink to the floor. Hearing Kurama’s name spoken by the girl who adored him was excruciating, if Ami discovered what had transpired between them on the rooftop she probably wouldn’t speak to her again...

“Yep, Mikage says it was a love spell or something like that. It’s passed on by touch, so it could have been cast on just one person and then it spread.”

“Alright let’s hold it there sweetie,” Otohiko interjected, gliding into view. “I need to check our femme fatale and see if she’s still contagious.”

Stepping around the tail of the huge snake, he crouched down carefully next to Nanami. Brushing aside his fluffy white scarf he closed his eyes, slowly moving one hand close to her arm. “Just give me a few seconds here,” he murmured, spreading out his fingers and holding them just over her skin.

They held their breath waiting for Otohiko’s verdict, the moments stretching into eternity…

Suddenly he grabbed her arm as a large smile broke out across his face. “All gone!” he announced happily.

Ami sprawled forward and threw her arms around Nanami, letting out a huge sigh. “Oh thank goodness!” she breathed, “now you’re safe.” Sitting back to look into her eyes, her sunny smile swiftly melted away. “Mikage took so long to find you, I wasn’t sure if I would ever see you again.”

“He would have found her eventually, she’s wearing something he created,” Otohiko revealed, pointing at Nanami’s wrist. “Move your hand over that spot and you’ll feel it.”

“Oh wow! I can’t see it,” Ami remarked, running her fingers over the tiny silver bracelet.

“My boy is a great planner, he always covers the contingencies,” Otohiko proclaimed proudly.

“Wish I could say the same,” Nanami muttered, hot tears welling up in her eyes. Despite all the careful arrangements that were made to protect her, she had managed to fall into a trap that could have cost her life. “I’m so sorry guys; I’ve really screwed up this time.”

“Don’t feel too bad sweetie, we all did,” Otohiko admitted, pursing his lips. “I abandoned you to fawn over a man I don’t stand a chance with and now my darling Mikage is lying in a bed, paying for my stupidity.”

“I was pathetic,” Mizuki piped up, standing at the entrance to the kitchen with his arms crossed. “I didn’t detect a simple enchantment because I let down my guard.” Smiling sadly at his avatar, he moved over and patted its smooth head before sending it slithering out of the room through the main doors.

Rising to his feet, Otohiko cast his eyes around the room. “Alright, we can all beat ourselves up for our failures in private; let’s concentrate on fixing this mess. First things first; Nanami, let’s get you into the shower so Mizuki stops crinkling his nose.”

“Please do,” Mizuki agreed, “that odour is rather distracting.”

Staring furiously at the floor, Nanami knew immediately what he was referring to. She needed to get away before Ami asked what they were talking about…

“It’s okay, I know what happened,” Ami revealed whilst lightly patting her hand. “The same thing happened to Kei.”

“What?” she responded, gaping wide eyed at her friend.

“This observant creature helped us figure out what happened,” Otohiko remarked, nodding his head at Ami.

Pausing, the little redhead raised a forefinger to her chin as she thought carefully. “Do you remember that bunch of women that stopped you and Kurama on the balcony? Well at least one of them was enchanted.”

“They all made contact with the Tengu so we can’t be sure who the carrier was,” Otohiko explained. “He was the intermediary target; whoever did this must have been watching us, particularly after the performance. They saw his reaction to you in the VIP room and realised there was a good chance he would try and ravish you once he was enchanted.”

Nanami felt her face go up in flames. This was too embarrassing for words…

Sighing, Otohiko gazed wistfully at her. “This is my entire fault, I obviously made you far too gorgeous for him to resist.”

Mizuki rolled his eyes and groaned loudly before disappearing back into the kitchen.

Giggling, Ami added, “Oh yes, yes… when he kissed Nanami’s hand in the VIP room he gave her such a look, like he wanted to eat her alive! It was so exciting to watch…”

Otohiko gasped, pressing one hand to his chest as he stared at Ami. “My goodness little one, you are quite the voyeur!”

“Well he’s never going to look at me like that,” she confessed, smiling sweetly.

Chuckling, the wind god pointed a manicured finger at the little redhead. “Next time you get the treatment too, I want to see you unleash yourself on that Tengu.”

Nanami smiled sadly to herself. It should have been Ami on the rooftop, that’s the way it was meant to be.

“Don’t look so down,” Ami said kindly, “you weren’t the only one who ended up in an awkward situation.”

“Oh that’s right!” Otohiko exclaimed. “Kei and Mizuki ended up in a clinch on the balcony!” he blared, slapping his sides and hooting loudly.

“Shut up you jerks! I was enchanted too!” a voice wailed pathetically from the kitchen.

“Ooo, touchy touchy!” the wind god teased, dismissing Mizuki’s protests with a wave of his hand.

“It was amazing!” Ami declared, grinning from ear to ear. “One of those women touched Kei as we tried to get past them and within seconds she was holding Mizuki’s hand. They stopped following you and wandered over to the railing, Kei was babbling on about how beautiful the stars were, he was stroking her hand…”

“They only just locked lips before they were transported off the balcony, which was a small mercy,” Otohiko chuckled. “The whole thing is being blamed on some sort of drug induced episode, but that’s another story.”

Leaning over, he offered Nanami his hand. “Alright that’s enough for now; let’s get you cleaned up so we can discuss our plan.”

Nanami didn’t really want to hear what they had devised, all she wanted to do was tear out the door and do something, anything, to find Tomoe and explain herself.  Her thoughts turned to him; the harsh words he had uttered as he pressed her into the ground, the barely contained fury in his voice. He knew exactly what she had done and it cut her to the bone.

“Come on sweetie, there’s nothing lost that cannot be regained,” Otohiko said gently, recognising her anguish. “We’ll work this out.”

Looking up at him, Nanami saw the pain she felt reflected in his eyes.

“I’d better head off, take care and give me a call,” Ami piped cheerily, affectionately squeezing Nanami’s arm before standing up. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I’ll let Kei know you’re alright, she’s been in a state since she had that moment with Mizuki.”

Smiling up at her, Nanami thought of the ordeal she had just put her friends through. “Thank you so much for all your help, please tell Kei I’m so sorry about last night. Make sure she knows about the enchantment so she doesn’t feel too awful about it.”

“I’ve already messaged her so she knows,” Ami responded kindly. “And don’t feel bad about things; I was having a blast at the party. If it wasn’t for that awful spell thingy at the end it would have been a perfect night.”

“You take care, you dark horse,” Otohiko chimed, patting Ami’s arm. “Come back and visit us soon.”

Smiling, Ami turned and toddled out the door.

“I like her,” Otohiko pronounced, watching her leave. “There’s real potential lurking under that innocuous exterior.”

“Yes, she’s a special girl,” Nanami remarked, watching as her friend headed out across the courtyard.

Carefully Otohiko helped her to her feet and led her down the corridor towards her room. There were preparations to make and plans to discuss…

****************

As Nanami dried her hair, she heard footsteps stop in the corridor outside her door.

“Knock knock, are you decent?” a voice asked.

“Yes, come in Otohiko,” she responded, finding a place for her towel.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, narrowing his eyes as he entered the room. “One forced teleportation is bad enough, let alone three in a row.”

“I’m fine thanks,” she responded, pulling herself up straight in an effort to appear fresher than she actually was. In truth, her body ached all over and her mind was numb with shock.

Otohiko saw through her immediately. “You can have a rest soon; we just need to bring you up to speed with things and explain your part in our plans.”

Rubbing his chin with his index finger, the wind god furrowed his brow. “Okay, we must get you into something respectable,” he stated, “That nice blue yukata you have should do the trick.” Fishing it out of her cupboard, he laid it gracefully out on the bed. “Don’t fuss around too much; just come out once you’ve popped it on.”

Turning to leave, he paused for a moment. “I take it you had a bit of a grapple with that Tengu, Mizuki says you reeked of him,” he enquired.

Nanami felt her cheeks starting to burn; this was going to be awkward. “Yes,” she said cautiously, not really wanting to elaborate on the details.

“Nothing too serious I hope, you weren’t alone with him for long,” he ventured carefully.

“Oh no, I didn’t even kiss him,” she responded, “but he did, well, touch me? Just a little bit,” she said haltingly, too ashamed to admit to any reciprocation. “I just stood there taking it like a lovesick fangirl. We both said all this stuff, like something out of a romance novel. It was ridiculous really; he grabbed me and flew to the top of the building, of all the stupid clichés…”

“I know sweetie,” he admitted gently; “when I found your purse on the rooftop it wasn’t much of a stretch to work out how it got there.”

“I feel horrible about it,” she murmured, grimacing as the memories came creeping back into her mind. “Tomoe knew immediately what had happened. He was so furious at me, he called me a faithless bitch…” the words trailed off as she hung her head in shame. “I’m so terribly worried he’s never going to forgive me, no matter what excuse I offer.”

“He’s a smart boy so he probably figured out it was a trap after he was teleported,” he advised her. “Try to put it aside for now; our first priority is getting him back and we’re going to need your help.  Stay focused on that and we’ll sort the rest when we need to.”

As he sauntered out of the room, Nanami hastily prepared herself.

Returning to the main hall, she found Otohiko and Mizuki sitting down to breakfast. “Come and join us,” Otohiko offered, waving his hand toward a large cushion. “Have something to eat; you’re going to need your strength.”

Shovelling down some porridge, she looked anxiously at her companions.

“I’ll bring you up to speed with things,” Otohiko stated, pouring himself a cup of tea. “Mikage should be doing this, but he needs to rest,” he added in a softer tone, glancing down the hall.

“After people started being teleported to the park, things got out of hand pretty quickly. The police were called in, it was a terrible mess,” he advised.

“That was a big mistake,” Mizuki interjected, “the club got raided and Lord Ookuninushi had to high tail it out of there with his entire retinue. He won’t be pleased about that.”

Chuckling, Otohiko covered his mouth to avoid dribbling the tea he had just sipped. “Sorry!” He mumbled, awkwardly depositing his cup on the table. “His Lordship will be absolutely livid; his reputation as a host has been sullied.”

“We’ve already taken advantage of the situation,” Mizuki added, smiling knowingly. “Mikage sent a messenger to Ookuninushi’s shrine advising him of the enchantment and subsequent teleportation of guests from his venue.”

“The culprit wasn’t named, but Mikage did state that we know the cause of these regrettable events,” Otohiko advised, pouring some more tea. “He has been invited to call on us should he wish to know more.”

Cupping her face in her hands, Nanami leaned onto the table as she absorbed the details of their plan. “So Ookuninushi could be coming here?” she asked, hopeful that help might be on the way.

“He will very interested in knowing who caused this embarrassment,” Otohiko responded, “but the princess enjoys an exalted status in the spirit world. We will need to handle this very carefully.”

“Lord Ookuninushi is friends with her I believe, which will make this even more difficult,” Mizuki added. “We are going to need proof.”

“What can we show him? The enchantment wears off,” Nanami asked, unsure of what they could offer as evidence of Princess Narukami’s involvement.

Mizuki and Otohiko glanced at each other as it dawned on her what would demonstrate the thunder god’s connection beyond all doubt.

Lifting her head out of her hands, she said his name…

“Tomoe.”

“If he is with her, then we have our proof,” Mizuki stated. “Although we don’t know whether he is a prisoner or otherwise,” he added, levelling his eyes at Nanami.

“Otherwise…” she mumbled the words, her mind stumbling through the memories of the evening. Dropping her head she closed her eyes, pressing her fingers into her eyelids.  

She couldn’t bear the thought of him wanting to stay with the princess…

“Tomoe’s no fool, he’s sure to be suspicious isn’t he?” she suddenly blurted out, slapping her hands against the smooth surface of the table. “That’s what you said Otohiko, he was probably transported straight to her shrine…”

“Such spells are well known and quite simple,” Mizuki said coolly, crossing his arms. “However they only serve to heighten feelings that are already there.”

“But…” she stammered, gobsmacked at his revelation.

“Oh please!” Otohiko exclaimed, flapping a hand dismissively. “Haven’t you ever been star struck you daft little twit?”

“What?” he asked, obviously unfamiliar with the concept.

Leaning forward, the wind god patted one of Nanami’s hands. “Don’t feel bad sweetie, that enchantment would have set every woman in the place onto Kurama. Probably a few men too,” he added, grinning cheekily. “It was the perfect situation to take advantage of with that particular spell, especially after the performance.”

“He hasn’t had that effect on me in ages,” Nanami admitted. “I was a huge fan until he started attending my school. The first time I met him he behaved like such a jerk, I well and truly got over him.”

“Anyone else ever have that effect on you?” Otohiko asked, knowing the answer.

“Yes,” she admitted, smiling sadly.

“And he doesn’t need the influence of hundreds of people working themselves into a lather to evoke that level of attraction, he does it all by himself,” he added with a wicked smirk.

“Having said that, I’m sure Tomoe’s reaction to you last night was a spur of the moment thing,” he advised, hoping to dispel her fears. “A man like that isn’t used to having any sort of competition.”

“I hope you’re right,” she said quietly.

“Of course I am,” Otohiko declared. “And our snake boy here…” he drawled, giving Mizuki a shove, “should be well aware of what that particular enchantment can do to even the smallest amount of attraction!”

Blushing a deep shade of red, Mizuki hastily excused himself to make more tea.

Watching him leave, Nanami’s thoughts turned back to their plan. “What if Ookuninushi doesn’t come here?” she asked, “Can we go to his shrine?”

“Absolutely, if we don’t see him by this evening you and Mikage will be paying him a visit,” Otohiko advised.

“How is Mikage?” she enquired, the image of him lying in Otohiko’s arms suddenly flashing through her mind.

“Would you like to see him?” he asked, glancing down the corridor, “I’m sure he would like to cast his eyes over you.”

Making their way into his room, they found Mikage sitting up in bed holding a cup of tea. Perching on the bedside, Nanami gently touched his hand as he smiled warmly at her.

“Thank you so much for finding me,” she said softly, looking down at the tiny silver bracelet on her wrist. “I’ll do everything I can to get Tomoe back.”

“I know you will,” Mikage responded quietly. “Don’t feel bad about what’s happened, I knew the Princess wasn’t finished with us. Tomoe should never have approached her for a sound stone.”

“She’s never forgiven Mikage for securing him as a familiar,” Otohiko offered, sitting on the end of the bed. “You’re really just a victim in all of this.”

Furrowing her brow, Nanami turned to face the wind god. “Then why did she go to all that trouble with the enchantment? And why imprison me then try to make me drown myself?”

“That place wasn’t real,” Mikage advised, “It was a mind trap, that’s why I had such trouble finding you. Your consciousness wasn’t in the same location as your body. I highly doubt you would have come to any real harm; she just wanted to make you suffer. You don’t go through thirty two pairs of familiars because you are a nice person, she has a sadistic streak.”

Placing his cup of tea on the side table he added, “the enchantment was all about proving you to be unworthy of Tomoe’s loyalty. It’s likely she thinks he chose to become your familiar, which we both know is incorrect. She probably believes he can just as easily choose her with the right motivation.”

“I’m sure she feels that a mere human doesn’t deserve such a powerful familiar, much less have him as a mate,” Otohiko added. “We think that was the trigger for her latest attempt, it would be a major blow to her ego to be rejected over a lowly mortal.”

“She said something to me in the park, or whatever that place was, that stuck in my mind,” Nanami revealed, thinking carefully about what the little girl had said. “Something about sanctifying such a union being intolerable.”

Raising his eyebrows, Mikage scratched his chin. “That sounds like she is aware you and Tomoe are to be married eventually. Well I suppose it’s no secret, but I wonder if she knows why it must occur.”

“That’s what I was thinking,” Nanami advised. “If she finds it intolerable, then she probably intends to stop it from happening. That means she doesn’t know about his curse.”

“Oh this is priceless!” Otohiko exclaimed, clapping his hands together. “If she knew the fox has to marry our little demon tamer here or he snuffs it, she probably wouldn’t have done this!”

Frowning, Nanami glared at the wind god. “That sounds really bad when you put it like that!”

Chuckling, he slapped her lightly on the back. “Come on sweetie, you know he made that deal all by himself over five hundred years ago.”

“This is good, really good,” Mikage declared, his eyes growing wide. “If Tomoe is being held against his will, the Princess may set him free if she’s told his nuptials are a foregone conclusion.”

Groaning, Mikage adjusted his position as he tried to sit up higher. “I really should get up; if Ookuninushi pays us a visit I don’t want to be lying here like an invalid.”

“No that’s perfect!” Otohiko exclaimed, crawling up the bed to sit next to him. “If you look wiped out from saving our little land god here, it may garner some sympathy.”

“Well let’s see if he turns up first,” he replied, wincing as he moved his legs. “Otherwise I’ll have to drag myself out of bed.”

It was obvious to Nanami that he was in no condition to be up and about. “You stay put for now,” she said gently, “I think you’ve done enough already.” Glancing at her bracelet she added, “I won’t go doing anything rash so please stay here and rest.”

Standing up, she bade Mikage and Otohiko a fond farewell to retire to her room. If Ookuninushi paid them a visit she wanted to be well rested and prepared…

*****************

By early evening they had still received no word from the god of wealth. Mikage had recovered somewhat, joining the rest of the household in the main hall to share a meal.

“We will need to leave soon,” he advised Nanami whilst sipping on some sake.

Unable to sleep, she had spent the day restlessly making notes in preparation for any questions that Ookuninushi may have. If they were to stand a chance of retrieving Tomoe, she couldn’t afford to put a foot wrong. “I’m ready when you are,” she responded enthusiastically, “I’ve taken my time and thought through everything.”

“Just be yourself,” Otohiko advised, “Ookuninushi may seem a bit dim with all his vanity, but he is extremely perceptive. You don’t get to be the god of wealth unless you can read people incredibly well.”

“I’ve been blundering into things for too long, I need to start taking a more careful approach,” she confessed, looking down at her hands.

Mikage narrowed his eyes at her. “Don’t be so harsh on yourself; your tenacity is the reason Tomoe didn’t die half a millennia ago. Rest assured he is well aware of that too, in spite of what you may think.”

As Nanami went to speak, the two shrine attendants came floating into the room. “We have a visitor,” little Kotetsu announced excitedly.

Surprised, they all shared a look of anticipation…

“Hello everyone!” Ookuninushi chimed, strutting in through the main doors. “How are we all this evening?”

Otohiko opened his mouth to say something then quickly reined himself in.

Rising carefully to his feet, Mikage bowed to the god of wealth. “Thank you for coming to see us,” he answered smoothly, “we are all well.”

“You appear to be under the weather Mikage,” he observed, raising an eyebrow. “Have you been partaking of too much of that sake?” he enquired, gesturing at the vial on the table.

“I’m afraid he is recovering from something far more serious,” Otohiko responded coolly.

Smiling warmly, Mikage waved his hand dismissively. “That’s not important at the moment; we have far more weighty matters to discuss. But first, why don’t you join us for a drink?”

“I was afraid you’d never ask!” Ookuninushi responded eagerly, gliding over to the table and taking a seat. Holding up a cup, he glanced at the shrine’s attendants who promptly scooped up the sake bottle and poured for him.

Sighing, he swallowed the contents down in one gulp. “Oh that is better,” he breathed, holding out his cup again. “I’ve had one hell of a day.”

“I take it you’ve had some dramas,” Mikage ventured, lowering himself slowly back down onto his cushion.

“That’s an understatement,” he stated before sucking up another mouthful. “I’ve shelled out a small fortune to keep a lid on that fiasco at the club last night. Who on earth would unleash that ridiculous desire enchantment in a room full of hundreds of people? I know it doesn’t last long, but things could have gotten very messy…”

“It wasn’t merely an enchantment, the spell contained a teleportation marker,” Otohiko advised, pouring himself some sake. “The affected patrons were sent to a park nearby, which indicates it was designed to stop spreading beyond a certain point.”

“Really?” Ookuninushi enquired, looking curiously at him. “It sounds like it had a purpose.”

“Oh yes,” the wind god responded. “It was intended to reach certain targets. You are sitting next to one of them.”

Turning to look at Nanami, he raised both his eyebrows.

“I was enchanted, but I wasn’t transported to the park with the others,” Nanami advised. “I was sent to this shrine.”

Frowning, he tilted his head to observe her closely. “And why was that?” he enquired, examining her face as she turned to look up at him.

“When I appeared, Tomoe touched me. Within seconds he was taken,” she said quietly. “Then I was teleported again and held in some sort of prison.”

Sitting back, the god of wealth blinked rapidly as his eyes grew wide. “You escaped I take it?” he asked.

“No, Mikage spent hours searching for me then nearly killed himself transporting me out of there,” she replied, holding up her arm. The tiny silver bracelet glinted softly on her wrist.

Taking her hand, Ookuninushi placed it on the table before running his fingers lightly over the silver filaments. “I see,” he murmured, looking up at Mikage. “You must have been expecting something like this to happen, judging by this level of protection.”

“It was meant to be a precaution, but if I’m honest I’ve always expected Nanami and Tomoe’s union to meet with some opposition,” he admitted.

Staring at Mikage, he asked the question that was burning in everyone’s mind. “So who’s responsible for all this?”

Taking a breath, he paused before responding. “You are not going to like this,” he stated simply. “They are a friend of yours.”

“Well tell me the purpose and go from there,” he offered, glancing at Nanami.

“Tomoe,” she stated quietly, looking down at her hand.

Surprised, he fingered the edge of his cape as he looked questioningly at Mikage. “So I take it he has gone missing?”

“Yes, we haven’t seen him since he was teleported from the shrine’s grounds,” he responded calmly.

Holding out his cup again, the god of wealth paused while it was filled. “Hmm. So who would concoct a plan to abduct your familiar, who happens to be one of the most powerful Yokai that has ever existed? It would have to be someone who cares little for humans, to say nothing of the impact an enchantment would have in the mortal world…” He considered the situation carefully, holding his chin between his thumb and forefinger. “I think I might know where you are going with this.”

“Really?” Nanami enquired, looking up at him hopefully.

“I am aware of Princess Narukami’s interest in Tomoe,” he revealed. “When Mikage disappeared from this shrine, she repeatedly enquired after his whereabouts. When I finally pressed her for a reason, she stopped asking. Given her obvious dislike of Mikage, it wasn’t too hard to work out where her interest truly lay.”

Pausing, he turned to gaze outside through the open screen doors. “I’m also aware that she stole Nanami’s god mark and attempted to force Tomoe to become her familiar,” he said blithely. “Her last pair of Lion Dogs was fairly liberal with the details of her escapades after they left.”

Glancing at each other, Mikage and Otohiko sipped their drinks.

“Tomoe approached her to purchase a sound stone recently, which wasn’t a wise decision,” Mikage stated.

“Really?” Ookuninushi exclaimed, gaping wide eyed at him. “What could possibly drive him to do such a thing?”

Nanami winced slightly, staring furiously at the table.

“Oh!” he gasped, suddenly grinning. “Needed some privacy eh?” he teased, leaning close to Nanami. “He should have come to me, I could have loaned him one from my collection!”

Smiling broadly, Otohiko raised his cup to eye level. “He was a little, should we say, impatient?”

Chuckling, Ookuninushi acknowledged his gesture with a nod and a toast. “Ah yes, we all make poor decisions when we have pressing needs.”

“Unfortunately the Princess took offence to his, um, preference for a human mate and we have been subjected to her disapproval ever since,” Mikage advised before taking a long sip from his cup.

Breaking into laughter, the god of wealth nearly dropped his drink. “Oh that is terrible! I suspect the poor dear has been carrying a torch for the fox for centuries, although she would never admit it.”

“I’m so sorry your club got caught up in this mess, it’s an amazing venue,” Nanami offered, smiling up at him.

“Why thank you, come back anytime and I’ll be happy to welcome you into my entourage. Your refreshing honesty and natural charm would certainly be an asset,” he chimed.

“There’s something else you should know,” she added, seizing the moment. “You may never get to be the celebrant for my wedding; the Princess intends to stop it. She doesn’t seem to be aware that Tomoe has to become my husband to break his curse.”

Staring at her, he paused for a moment. “Oh dear, she wouldn’t be privy to that information. Well we can’t have her doing that; I was looking forward to holding the ceremony!”

“So you’ll help us?” she implored, looking earnestly at him.

“Of course my dear,” he responded, smiling warmly at her. “I will send the Princess a message tonight and visit first thing in the morning. Apart from everything else, she has borrowed my lucky mallet again…”

Gasping, Nanami clutched the edge of the table. She knew what the artefact was capable of doing.

“Don’t fret sweetie, I’m sure Ookuninushi will persuade Narukami to release him,” Otohiko said smoothly, rising from his seat to move around beside her. “Why don’t you come with me, we’ll leave these two to catch up on old times.”

Pulling herself up straight, she desperately fought the urge to panic. _Get a grip_ she commanded herself as she drew in a long smooth breath through her nose. _Don’t lose your cool,_ _calm down…_

Looking up at the wind god, she pursed her lips as she rose slowly from her seat.

Before they left the room, Nanami turned and addressed Ookuninushi one last time. “My Lord, if you do see Tomoe please tell him how much I love him. Nothing will ever change that.”

“I shall my dear,” he responded, blinking slowly as a small smile crossed his face.

As they made their way down the corridor, she let out a long deep breath. It had taken every ounce of control she possessed to not erupt into a fit of begging, entreating the god of wealth to do anything he could to bring Tomoe back to her.

“Nicely done my dear,” Otohiko remarked, sauntering along beside her. “I know it must have been hard for you to maintain your poise. You’ve come a long way since we first met.”

Entering her room, Nanami dropped her guise and slouched over to her bed. Flopping onto the covers, she stared up at the ceiling. “If Tomoe doesn’t return I’m going after him,” she declared. “I know it’s a stupid idea, but I have to make sure the Princess knows we must marry. It doesn’t matter if he won’t stay by my side; I’ll be content knowing he is still alive.”

“Let’s cross that bridge if we get to it,” he said soothingly, smiling down at her.

Crossing the room to peer out the screen doors, Otohiko looked up at the starlit sky. “What you should be preparing yourself for is Tomoe’s return, as it is very likely Ookuninushi will be successful. There are no laws in the spirit world, only strength commands justice and he’s the one of most powerful gods I know of.”  

Turning to face her he added, “We need to be prepared, the Princess won’t be gracious in defeat so there could be trouble.”

“I think I understand,” she responded quietly. “I won’t leave the shrine until we know how Ookuninushi went.”

“Yes, it could be dangerous for you to be out and about before then,” he advised.

Sitting up, Nanami pondered what to do next. “I might try to get in touch with my friends since I’m stuck here,” she decided, “that should take my mind off things for a little while. I’m a bit worried about how they are doing, especially Kei.”

“Good, keep yourself occupied and try not to fret. I think this will all be resolved very soon,” he offered encouragingly, wandering out onto the veranda. “One of us will pop in if we hear anything.”

Closing the screen doors, Otohiko moved off silently into the darkness.

Nanami pulled her laptop across the bed, contemplating what to do. She couldn’t bear to think of what might be happening to Tomoe, she’d been down that road before. The fear would end up driving her out into the night, recklessly endangering her life like she had so many times before. Her friends would have to come to her aid, placing them in harm’s way.

The image of Mikage lying on the floor in Otohiko’s arms haunted her, a sobering reminder of what her rashness could incite. He was the one who had brought Tomoe and her together, the one who had taken them both in when no one else would, the one who had saved them… and she had nearly killed him. The thought of murdering the person responsible for all the joy she now possessed had affected her so profoundly she couldn’t bring herself to set one foot outside the shrine.

Soberly she picked up her phone from the bedside table, noting the endless string of messages running down the screen. _Oh good,_ _Kei is back in action_ she thought, a small smile crossing her lips. Hopefully everything would be better soon… 

 

 

 


	10. Reckoning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They say a day comes for all of us when our past mistakes or misdeeds finally catch up with us. Nanami finds out if her recent troubles are now behind her as a day of reckoning comes for someone she knows…

It was well past midnight when Nanami passed out on her bed, exhaustion finally overcoming her.

Falling into a deep sleep, her mind conjured up a dream of sprawling sun drenched parklands dotted with dense flowering shrubs and pathways paved with coral coloured flagstones.

Sitting under a large cherry blossom tree, she gazed up into the clear blue sky as the atmosphere filled with delicate pink petals. The soft breeze carried them in waves through the air, dancing in long spiraling tendrils that spun off into the distance. Her senses filled with their sweet scent as she lay down in the lush green grass, staring up into the heavens at the beautiful spectacle.

The sun shone down, caressing her skin with its soft warmth. It felt so sensual, reminding her of the touch of her lover. She imagined his graceful, expressive hands gliding up her arms, around her shoulders, across her throat...

Her thoughts wandered back to the very first time she saw him, the shock of his impossibly beautiful face as he appeared from the darkness. Wielding a fan in his long fingers like a weapon, his mesmerizingly lithe yet powerful body moved in a way that no one could duplicate.

Falling in love with him had been effortless. He captured her heart so completely that she convinced herself he must return her affections. After a humiliating disclosure, she realised that she had misinterpreted his familial behaviour, imagining he harboured feelings for her.  It was a harsh lesson that taught her to expect nothing more than the casual indifference he showed to every woman who desired him.

And yet, her fate had already been sealed. More than half a millennia ago, under a sea of cherry blossoms just like this, he gazed down into her eyes…

“Tomoe,” she murmured to herself as the warmth of the sun moved along her body, up onto her face… So delicious, so timeless. It touched her lips like his kiss, filling her with such a wonderful feeling of bliss.

“Wake up my love,” a rich warm voice spoke to her.

Slowly blinking, Nanami stirred from sleep. Daylight was filling her room as she roused into consciousness, suddenly aware that she wasn’t alone…

She looked up into a pair of perfect violet eyes, staring down at her from the face of an angel.

For a moment she did nothing, gaping at him in silent awe. Vaguely she noticed his snow white hair flowing down around his shoulders to touch the sheets, surrounding him like a veil.

Then reality hit her – Tomoe had returned. She bolted upright, throwing her arms around his chest and squeezing as hard as she could. Like a sailor clinging to the mast of a ship, she hung on for dear life.

Blurrily she tried to find something to say, but words were useless. He was here, that was all that mattered.

“I’m so very sorry,” he murmured gently, enveloping her in his arms.

Pressing her face into the bare skin where his robes crossed, she breathed him in. His warm smooth skin moved against hers as he sat back, pulling her into his lap.

Abruptly his apology registered in her brain, triggering the memory of his anger, his fury at her betrayal... It echoed through her mind, the pain still too fresh.  “Please forgive me!” she suddenly blurted out, choking on the words as she pressed herself against him. “Nothing happened, I can’t stand him,” she babbled frantically, twisting her fingers into the back of his robe.

“It wasn’t your fault, I should have been with you,” he uttered softly, flicking his long soft tail around to encircle her. “My stubbornness placed you in great peril.”

Nanami chuckled, a choking tear filled gurgle into his chest. “Oh please,” she mumbled, her voice thick with emotion. “I get myself into danger.”

One of his hands reached up into the back of her hair as he planted a kiss on the top of her head. “Lately I’ve been dragging you into far more trouble than you could ever manage. I thought I was the responsible one, but clearly I am not.”

She sobbed quietly, pressing her cheek against his skin. “Nonsense,” she gurgled.

“There won’t be any more attacks,” he said quietly, “Lord Ookuninushi has seen to that. But I have to make amends for my behaviour, especially towards you.” Slowly combing his fingers down through her hair he added, “Tomorrow night I have something planned.”

“Just stay here with me, that’s all I need,” she mumbled, closing her eyes as she savoured the sensation of his hand moving slowly down her back.

Nanami was trembling ever so slightly, a tense humming vibration that buzzed through every nerve. She’d been so terrified that he would end up imprisoned or worse, the fear had almost consumed her. Through sheer requirement she had supressed her feelings to a degree she’d never managed before, concealing them behind a calm façade. Now the flood gates had opened and she couldn’t control the huge release of tension rippling through her body.

Somehow sensing her distress, Tomoe did something completely unexpected – he started to purr. Not a throaty, growling sound like the one she had heard on the veranda. This was a soft deep hum that came from his chest, radiating out all over his body.

The vibrations calmed her, drowning out the awful thrumming of her nerves. It was such a wonderful sensation, like hugging an enormous cat, but she knew better than to compare him to such a creature.  Silently she thrilled at the knowledge that he would do this for her, knowing full well that he would never admit to having such an ability.

He held her for endless moments, soothing her frayed nerves. Then the sound of a tiny bell reached her ears and the purring stopped, much to her disappointment.

“I’m being summoned, I have to honour a commitment I made to Ookuninushi,” Tomoe murmured softly, nuzzling his nose into the top of her head.

“You can’t go, you just got back,” Nanami mumbled unhappily, frowning into his chest.

“I know,” he cooed gently. “Please be patient with me.”

Reaching behind, he gently wrapped his long fingers around her arms and started to pull them away. “I must leave, there are people waiting,” he said softly.

“No no no…” she muttered, leaning hard against him. “You can’t go, I need you here!” she pleaded distraughtly, resisting his attempts to free himself.

“Please,” he entreated her, leaning down to touch his cheek to her forehead. “Ookuninushi insists that I accompany him right now. I will be back soon.”

She knew it was irrational to demand that he stayed, but she just couldn’t help herself. Desperately she grabbed for the closest thing she could reach, the base of his tail…

Tomoe instantly grabbed her hands, sucking in a sharp breath of air. “Please don’t do that, it’s incredibly sensitive!”

Grimacing to herself, she decided to go for broke.

Just as she started to form the words of a command, he placed his thumbs under her chin. Lifting it up, he pressed his lips to hers.

Nanami froze as she was completely disarmed.

The feeling of his mouth, warm and soft, like the morning sun. Soaking into her flesh, filling her with the most exquisite sensations…

Then he released her, slowly letting his lips leave hers.

Looking up into his perfect eyes, she could only say one thing. “Stay,” she implored, her voice barely more than a whisper.

For a moment he stared back at her, almost as if he was considering her plea. Then his hands left her face, slipping under her limp arms to quickly free himself.

“We owe Ookuninushi a great deal for his aid,” he stated quietly as he rose from the bed in one smooth motion. Looking out through the open veranda doors, his eyes narrowed as a soft breeze flowed into the room.  “He may have visited the Princess to seek retribution, but we benefitted greatly from his intervention. We have his favour now, which grants us his protection.”

Pausing for a moment, his voice dropped lower as his eyes suddenly softened. “There is also something I owe you Nanami, please let me do this for you.” Turning swiftly, he glided out through her bedroom door before she could respond.

“Wait!” she exclaimed, lurching out of bed. In a desperate frenzy, she tried to stand up too quickly and sprawled onto the floor. Tangled in her blue Yukata, she managed to roll onto her back and sit up inelegantly, growling at herself. “Dammit!” she spat, furious at performing such a clumsy manoeuvre.

By the time she reached the main hall, Tomoe was gone.

Mizuki was standing at the main doors, gazing out into the sky. “Hello mistress,” he chimed, turning around to beam happily at her. “Today has been a good day.”

“Where has he gone?” she pleaded anxiously, striding over and grabbing his closest sleeve with both hands.

Taken aback, he blinked rapidly at her sudden intensity. “I’m not sure mistress; all I know is Lord Ookuninushi requested he accompany him.”

“It’s alright Nanami, everything is well!” Mikage announced merrily, waving his hands in the air as he strode up the stairs. “Tomoe will return soon, he had to accede to Ookuninushi’s request.” Crinkling his eyes into a wide smile he added, “The old boy freed him from the Princess so he really couldn’t refuse.”

Sighing, Nanami reluctantly accepted his response. “Alright then,” she said as calmly as she could manage, letting go of Mizuki’s sleeve. “I won’t make a fuss, but can you tell me how he did it?”

“Oh, now that was quite the drama!” Mikage responded animatedly, his eyes growing wide as he threw an arm out in a dramatic gesture towards the main table. “Take a seat and I will fill you in on all the juicy details.”

*****************

“I can’t believe he trashed half her shrine!” Nanami exclaimed, staring wide eyed into her tea.

Picking up his cup, Mikage examined its contents as a cheeky grin spread across his face. “Well it’s a miracle there was anything left at all, the Princess used Ookuninushi’s lucky mallet to turn Tomoe back into a Yokai as soon as he appeared. As his old self… well, she didn’t stand a chance. He was already furious having just had that awful scene with us out on the grass, so she took the brunt of his anger. She was incredibly lucky; if she hadn’t managed to imprison him with a sufficiently powerful wish on the mallet he would have killed her.”

“What a stupid thing to do,” she responded, “I mean, I know she wanted to trick him into becoming her familiar and all that, but she completely gave the game away.”

Chuckling, he absently pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “She’s such a twit; apparently she claimed to be saving him from a faithless master but any idiot could see what she was doing. We thought she was so clever with the teleporting but all she did was wave that blasted thing around.”

“Tomoe figured out it was a scam straight away,” Nanami affirmed quietly, looking up at him. “You know, deep down I thought he would, but I just felt so guilty about the whole enchantment thing that I couldn’t accept it.”

“He feels terrible about that you know,” Mikage advised her earnestly, “He really should have accompanied you to the party. His obstinacy allowed you to be nearly seduced then imprisoned in the deepest mind trap I’ve ever seen. Combine that with his behaviour towards you and you’ve got the recipe for a very guilty conscious.”

Frowning, Nanami picked up her cup and took a sip. Holding it in her hands, she contemplated the situation. “I really can’t hold it against him; I know he would have hated the concert. I was perfectly happy to go with my friends.”

“Well if it hadn’t been for the Princess’s meddling it wouldn’t have been necessary. Everyone would have enjoyed their evening, Ookuninushi included,” he advised. “By the way, those two had a huge argument shortly after he arrived at her shrine, or what was left of it anyway.”

Grinning devilishly, Mizuki bounced into the room cradling a fresh pot of tea. “Tell her about the fight!” he exclaimed, almost losing his grip on the handle. “The silly cow started insulting his Lordship and he completely lost it!”

Suddenly Mikage let out a deafening cackle, throwing his head back and nearly falling off his cushion. “Oh it was priceless!” he gasped excitedly. “She didn’t care one bit that his entire entourage had to flee during the police raid, which really angered him.” Impishly he added, “But then she really went to town, making some derogatory comment about him fraternizing with human women. He was so infuriated he nearly put her through a wall.”

“How did I miss out on hearing this?” Nanami demanded, pouting into her tea.

“You were out cold when the boys got here around lunchtime,” Mikage informed her, “you hadn’t slept since Thursday night so we left you in peace. You didn’t even wake up when Tomoe reinstated the familiar contract with you.”

Sitting down at the table, Mizuki leaned forward to pour the fresh brew into his cup. “Well I’m just glad Ookuninushi was able to release Tomoe; only someone with his clout could have managed it.”

“He retrieved his lucky mallet as soon as he set foot in her shrine, after that he could do whatever he pleased,” Mikage revealed, weaving one of his hands through the air. “When it is nearby, he can summon it at will. He showed her its full capabilities by repairing the entire shrine and releasing Tomoe all with one swing of the damn thing. I’m sure the demonstration wasn’t lost on the Princess.”

“I think that’s why she agreed to leave us alone,” Nanami offered, looking soberly at him. “She doesn’t seem to respect anyone unless they are more powerful than her.”

“Exactly,” Mikage nodded in agreement. “The threat of Ookuninushi’s wrath will keep her from causing us any further troubles, but his explanation of Tomoe’s curse would have helped as well. Now she knows that she can never have him, whether she likes it or not. It really was her day of reckoning.”

“I’m just glad it’s all over,” Mizuki declared, blowing on his tea as he lifted the cup to his lips.

“Agreed,” Nanami stated, “And as soon as Tomoe returns, it will feel like everything is back to normal.”

“Don’t hold your breath waiting for him to come back,” Mizuki advised, “after that run in with the Princess, Ookuninushi will be hitting the sake when he returns to his shrine. It’s already mid-afternoon so things will slow down considerably once they start drinking.”

“Grind to a halt you mean,” she added, glaring sullenly at him.

“Think of it as diplomacy,” Mizuki offered, “rather like the first three days of the Divine Assembly. Remember how that went? It’s basically an extended drinking party but many alliances are formed during that time.”

“Well I missed that on account of Ookuninushi’s request to close the portal to the Netherworld,” Nanami reminded him, “which turned into a near death event for me.”

Chuckling, Mikage poured himself another tea. “But you earned his gratitude, which is part of the reason we have his favour now. Tomoe’s endeavours today will further cement our relationship with him.”

Beaming happily, Mizuki added, “And just think how much fun we’ll have picking on Tomoe tomorrow, he’ll have a hangover for the first school day of the week!”

Frowning ferociously Nanami declared, “If he comes home plastered this evening I’ll make sure he regrets it much sooner than that!”

****************

_I always have the worst luck with this!_ Nanami complained to herself, dragging the broom slowly behind her as she headed up the corridor.

She had landed homeroom clean up duties, having failed to sneak past Ami and her dreaded book of chores.

“You’ve been avoiding the roster for weeks,” the little redhead clucked at her, waving a finger in the air as she walked along beside her. “And since Tomoe didn’t turn up till lunchtime, I can’t have you foisting it on him.”

“But I’m having dinner at the Grand Shrine tonight!” she pleaded uselessly, “I only found out a couple of hours ago; I need to head home and get ready!”

“Well get stuck into it and you’ll be done in no time,” Ami stated firmly, slapping the duty book into Nanami’s chest. “I have to go and find Kei now; she’s still a bit funny in the head.”

“Really? I’m sorry to hear that,” Nanami responded, pausing for a moment to consider how she could help. “I’ll talk to the guys at the shrine about it; I have a bad feeling it’s related to Friday night.”

“Way ahead of you there kiddo,” Ami quipped, whipping her phone out of her bag. “I’ve been in touch with Otohiko; have a word with him when you get home.”

“What?” Nanami gasped, blinking wide eyed at the little redhead.

“I’ve really gotta go,” Ami chirped, glancing at her phone. “Have fun tonight!” Spinning on her heels, she bounded off down the corridor.

Nanami stared after her, trying to process what she had just heard. Eventually she gave up, realising that she had more pressing matters to attend to.

As she entered the empty classroom she gazed around, quickly assessing its condition. Propping the broom carelessly up against a desk, she placed the duty book on the teacher’s table and reviewed the list of tasks hastily scribbled into its pages. _I can get away with just sweeping the floors and wiping down the boards_ she determined, absently scratching under her nose. As she turned to retrieve the broom, a slow scraping sound reached her ears.

Looking up, she saw a tall figure climbing in through an opened window, followed by something large and black…

Sucking in a sharp breath of air, she stepped backwards as she recognised the unmistakable silhouette of Kurama.

Stepping lightly onto the floor, he held up a hand as he peered around the room. Then one finger moved to his lips, making the universal gesture of silence as he padded over to her.

Nanami froze, unsure whether to run for the door or throw the book at him. Before she could decide he had reached her feet and dropped into a low crouch, his head bowed low. Fanning his wings out behind him over the floor, the long black feathers sent tiny motes of dust into the air.

“I beg your forgiveness,” he stammered in a tremulous voice. “I know I was enchanted, but my behaviour towards you on Friday night was wrong. I shouldn’t have said those things or touched you like that,” he uttered quietly to the floor.

“You are forgiven,” she responded quietly, her eyes darting to the windows either side of the room. Fortunately no one was around. “I hope you can forgive me too, you got caught in the crossfire. The enchantment was meant for me.”

“Does Tomoe know about it?” he asked nervously, still staring at the floor.

“Yes,” she replied, clasping her hands together as she thought of a succinct way to explain what had happened. “It was all part of a plan to capture him which failed epically.”

“I see,” he stated quietly, “well it’s probably best I avoid him for a while.”

“Ugh, yeah,” she replied, pursing her lips. “That might be a good idea.” Unclasping her hands, she looked down sadly at him. He seemed so forlorn, squatting on the floor with his head down like that…

“Don’t be concerned though,” she added firmly, “Everything’s okay at home now so you aren’t in any danger.”

“Thank you,” he breathed, lifting his head up. “Can we just forget it happened, if that’s possible?”

“Absolutely,” Nanami offered reassuringly, smiling down at him. He was an inadvertent victim, one of many who had become caught up in the melodrama that was her life. “You really should go now; it’s not a good idea for us to be seen together,” she advised, glancing around to check the windows…

Suddenly she felt the warmth of his skin as his hand touched hers.

“No!” she wailed, snatching her hand away. “What the hell are you doing? Are you insane?” she exclaimed, thrusting both arms out behind her.

“What’s wrong?” he pleaded, quickly standing up. “Did I hurt your hand?” he asked, knitting his brows as he attempted to reach around her.

“For the love of… don’t come near me you moron!” she gasped, her eyes wide with fear as she backed up against the wall. “If Tomoe smells you on me again he’ll kill you! Get the fuck out of here!”

Kurama’s eyes grew wide as her words struck home, his pupils shrinking to tiny pinpoints. “You’re sleeping with him,” he mouthed in a voice barely more than a whisper.

“Yes,” Nanami murmured as she stared back at him. It wasn’t the most graceful of disclosures, but it was far better that he knew.

“I better take off,” he stated quietly, turning to head for the windows.

Pausing briefly he muttered, “Tell Ami how sorry I am, I didn’t even say hello to her at the party.” Dropping his head slightly, his wings twitched in an involuntary display of remorse.

In that one moment, with his guard unintentionally down, Nanami saw straight through him. The bravado, the glamourous façade and smooth casual attitude… it was all just a front. Deep down, he was a very lonely person.

“Ami will love you until her dying breath,” she declared, not knowing where the words came from. They simply fell from her mouth, a statement of absolute truth that somehow needed to be spoken.

His shoulders sank as her words weighed down upon him.

Then he suddenly sprang forward with catlike speed, reaching the open window in the blink of an eye and sliding effortlessly under the glass panel. Unfolding his wings he jumped backwards into the air, ascending out of view.

Letting out a huge sigh, she staggered over and grabbed the broom. Snatching up the duty book, any thoughts of cleaning vanished from her mind as she sensed the impending danger rising around her like floodwater…

Hefting the broom under one arm she tore out of the classroom and barrelled down the corridor. Reaching the storeroom, she flung the broom into a corner and dropped the duty book on a large desk. Now all she needed to do was find her schoolbag and get to the closest bathroom…

Suddenly she was flattened onto the desk face first, knocking the wind out of her. Her arm was grabbed by the wrist and stretched out to the side.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” a voice hissed into her ear.

Gasping, Nanami felt a wave of panic surge through her body. She’d been caught. Her body was pinned down to the table as Tomoe straddled her from behind. Straining to find the edge of the desk with her free hand, she could feel her heartbeat as it thumped against her ribs.

_Focus_ she instructed herself, closing her eyes to concentrate. _Breathe, calm down and think…_ She didn’t want this to end badly. There was no choice; she was going to have to do it, that thing she hated to do to him now…

“Let me go!” she commanded.

Instantly the weight was lifted from her body and her hand was released.

Slowly she pulled her arms underneath her body, levering herself up off the desk. Filling her lungs with air she slowly let out a long deep breath, allowing her body to calm.

She didn’t want to look behind; she couldn’t bear to witness the cold fury in Tomoe’s eyes as he stood there frozen by the sacred word binding. Silently she waited until she composed herself enough to face his wrath…

“It’s okay,” he spoke quietly.

Slowly turning, Nanami glanced apprehensively behind her.

Tomoe sat neatly on the floor, his hands in his lap and head bowed down. “I’m so sorry,” he muttered, “I caught the stench of the Tengu mingling with your scent and completely lost my mind.”

Looking down at him she felt a wave of sympathy wash through her. He couldn’t help his reaction, it was instinctive, an integral part of his nature. This wasn’t a human being sitting in front of her; he was a demon, a powerful animal spirit bound into servitude by her. His response was passionate; primal… it was something she actually liked, even though it was dangerous. It was part of the whole, incredible package that was him.

Sinking to her knees, she placed her unspoilt hand on top of his. “It’s alright, I understand,” she responded softly, leaning in to try and catch his eyes. “Kurama only came here to apologise to me. When he touched my hand, I scolded him for it. He won’t do it again.”

Slowly Tomoe looked up, his eyes full of sadness. “I dearly hate to admit it but I’m actually glad you commanded me. It shouldn’t have been necessary; I’m so horribly vulgar and rough with you sometimes.”

She smiled at his admission, knowing how much it would be hurting his pride. “You’ve got nothing to fear, I’m all yours you big gorgeous idiot. Besides, I suspect Kurama was just as concerned about upsetting someone else.”

Suddenly frowning, he stared intently at her. “What do you mean?”

“He asked me to apologise to Ami,” she answered smoothly, tilting her held to the side and raising her eyebrows. “If she’d been enchanted we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

“I see,” he responded, narrowing his eyes slightly. “So you think the Tengu returns her affections?”

“There’s definitely something there,” she stated confidently, clambering to her feet.

Drawing in a deep breath, she wanted nothing more than to escape the musty storeroom and put this moment behind her. “I’m going home now, I really need to wash off this stink and get ready.”

“I’ll cover your cleaning duties, it’s the least I can do,” he offered, slowly rising to his feet.

“Thanks, I’ll see you at home,” she said sweetly, grabbing her bag and bounding out the door. As soon as she had cleared the corridor, she dived into the first bathroom she could find and shoved her hands under the taps. _I must get a move on_ she thought anxiously _; Otohiko_ _will kill me if I’m late…_

*****************

“So how are your friends doing?” Otohiko asked casually as he adjusted the centre part in her hair.

Nanami was almost ready for her dinner engagement at the Grand Shrine. At Ookuninushi’s request, both Tomoe and she were attending a private banquet with a select group of deities.

“Well Ami is her usual bubbly self, but Kei’s been rather quiet. She broke up with her boyfriend over the weekend and she’s not talking about it, which is pretty unusual for her.”

Smiling, Otohiko glanced knowingly at her reflection in the large dresser mirror. “Did Ami talk to you? We think there’s a reason your friend has parted ways with her beau.”

“Oh crap, I’m supposed to ask you about that,” she recalled, touching her fingers to her lips.

Stepping around to face her, he leaned back casually against the dressing table. “Well sweetie, how much do you know about male anatomy?” he asked her intently, crossing his arms over his chest.

Dropping her head, she braced herself for one of his brutally frank sermons...

“Not a lot I take it? Well human males pass on small amounts of testosterone in their saliva when they kiss,” he instructed, “it’s designed to increase the sex drive of their partner.”

Pausing for a moment he uncrossed his arms, reaching sideways to absently finger a large brush sitting on the table. “In spirit beings with a humanoid form, particularly ones with animal origins, that can be greatly amplified. To put it bluntly they can seduce you with their kisses, especially passionate ones.”

Nanami’s eyes grew wide as she felt her cheeks warm up. Dropping her gaze, she tried to suppress a smirk.

“Oh stop that!” he hissed, kneading his fingertips into the soft bristles. “This is important!”

“Do you mind taking your hand off that brush?” she giggled, pointing at the table. “The fondling is a bit distracting.”

Eyes bulging, the wind god quickly crossed his arms again as his whole face went a delicate shade of pink. “I was doing no such thing!” he snapped back at her.

Sighing dramatically, he continued with his lecture. “They can control it apparently, but the enchantment on Mizuki would have overridden that. I have a sneaking suspicion it’s the reason Kei’s lost interest in her boyfriend, as the effect can be very addictive. She’s been warned of course but there’s a risk she could go back for more.”

“I’m more concerned about Mizuki,” Nanami declared, her eyes wide with concern. “He’s not known for his self-control in that department.”

Rolling his eyes, Otohiko exclaimed, “Oh god yes! There’s been a lot of yelping and thumping coming from his room lately and…”

“Okay! Okay! Too much information!” Nanami interjected, slapping her hand over her mouth to suppress a cackle.

Lost in the strange notion of the unusual pairing, a dark thought suddenly surfaced in her mind. Jolted out of her frivolous mood, the smile quickly vanished from her face. “Um, I hate to ask this but… can Tomoe can do it too?”

“I’d say so,” he said levelly, “but he swore he’d never use any of his abilities to seduce you. Mikage had that discussion with him a few months ago and he insisted you’d have to initiate anything in that regard.”

“I see,” Nanami responded, thinking back to Mizuki’s comment about her being on heat a few weeks ago. “I’m glad you told me this,” she admitted, looking down at her hands. She couldn’t help wondering if Tomoe had ever used it on her…

Glancing at a small silver clock positioned on the dressing table, Nanami noticed it was time to leave. She had to clear her mind of all thoughts about enchantments and seductions and focus on the evening ahead. “Okay, do I look ready?” she asked, taking in a deep breath.

“Yep, everything’s in place,” Otohiko announced. “Stand up and let me do a last check.”

As Nanami rose to her feet, she could feel the anticipation starting to kick in. The weight of her garments added to the gravity to the situation, making her stomach twist into knots.

“I’m always terrified of making an idiot of myself at these things,” she admitted, hooking her fingertips around the ends of her sleeves. “There are so many rules; I really don’t have a clue what to do.”

“Remember the game face I taught you for the club?” Otohiko advised as he stepped back to take a better view. “Just roll with that and let Tomoe take the lead, he’s knows all the etiquette. Besides, he loves it when you need his help.”

“I will,” she answered distractedly, staring at herself in the large mirror.

Over her simple white robe she wore a beautiful Uchikake (coat) made of dense pale blue silk. It was covered in a scene depicting a cherry blossom tree in full bloom, the creamy embroidered branches fanning out from the back to cover the sleeves and middle section in an array of pink and peach coloured flowers. The bottom hemline was covered with an intricate pattern of fans that spread up to knee height, sewn into the thick fabric with a mix of cream and peach threads.

“Isn’t this a bit, well, bridal?” Nanami asked apprehensively.

“Nonsense!” Otohiko quipped, “Many of the female gods wear far more ornate robes on a daily basis so you’ll fit right in. They don’t give a damn about the conventions of human fashion.”

Running her hands slowly over the fabric, Nanami heard the unexpected sound of a small sniffle. Turning, she noticed Otohiko patting his fluffy white scarf under his eyes.

“Don’t look at me like that!” he barked defensively, “I haven’t seen this robe in nearly 500 years, it brings back such memories…”

“So I’m wearing an old coat?” Nanami drawled, determined to make the most of his rare moment of vulnerability. “Trust you to put me in some ancient hand me down.”

“Oh shut up, you ungrateful tart!” he snapped back, “This belonged to a Shogun's wife! Be grateful I let your frumpy little hide anywhere near it!”

Chuckling, Nanami savoured their bantering as it briefly distracted her mind. For some reason she felt particularly apprehensive about facing Tomoe tonight...

“I’m just joking, it looks amazing,” she remarked, trying to lighten the mood. “My hair is great too; this is how it was styled when I posed as a bride. You really could do this for a living.”

“Of course,” he quipped, waving a hand dismissively in the air, “the hairstyle matches the robe; it’s not as fancy as I’d like but I wanted to get the whole effect right.” Pressing a finger to his chin he added, “Oh by the way, I’ve sent a chest on to the grand shrine with some of your things, it looks like you won’t be back for…”

“Time to go!” Mikage announced, breezing into the room.

As soon as he laid eyes on Nanami his cheerful disposition evaporated. Curling up his fingers, his brows crunched into an anguished, grief stricken frown.

“Keep it together you big boob,” Otohiko drawled, “She doesn’t need you blubbing all over her.”

“Did you have to put that on her?” he spat back in an uncharacteristically venomous tone, glaring furiously at the wind god.

Nanami stood transfixed, unsure of what to say… Otohiko gaped back at him, completely bewildered by his aggressive retort.

Then he blinked quickly, suddenly aware of his hostile reaction. His demeanour softened, morphing back to its normal gentle state. “Sorry about that, I completely forgot myself there for a moment.” Moving up beside Nanami he tenderly took one of her hands, placing it on his arm as a warm smile crinkled the corners of his eyes. “You look superb my dear,” he declared affectionately. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

As he led her out into the main hall, she could feel her stomach knotting up again as the anxiety returned. _You’re being stupid; you’ve got nothing to fear_ she told herself as she rounded the last corner, putting her game face on…

She only made it a few steps into the large room before she saw him.

He was standing at the main doors, peering out into the early evening sky. From behind, she took in the sheen of his light grey floor length coat, its edges intricately embroidered with blood red flowers that spread out in a weaving pattern up his back and arms. His hair was long, tied back loosely at the base of his neck with a single piece of thin red silk. As he turned to look at her, she could see an arctic white robe beneath, fastened with a thin red sash.

Nanami pulled up abruptly, her legs freezing in place. _Holy shit!_ she thought as her mouth fell open _, he looks so freaking hot!_ He always looked good, but tonight he was magnificent. _Keep it together_ she ordered herself, snapping her mouth shut as he glided towards her…

Gently Tomoe took her hand from Mikage’s arm and placed it on his. The sensation of his warm skin touching her was excruciating; it instantly sent her mind to places it really didn’t need to go.  

The two small shrine attendants floated into view, bobbing happily through the air. “Don’t forget this master!” little Onikiri chirped, presenting something to Tomoe.

Taking the long fan in one hand he snapped it open with a deft flick of his fingers. The grey paper danced with a pattern of tiny red flowers as it caught the light…

_Oh sweet mercy not the fan!_ she thought miserably, feeling her cheeks starting to warm. _I’m dying here…_ Desperately she fixed her eyes on it, avoiding the devastation of looking up into his eyes.

“You look absolutely beautiful,” he whispered softly, leaning close to her.

She pursed her lips, trying not wince with embarrassment.

“Oh daddy!” Otohiko drawled sensually from behind her, earning himself a jab in the ribs from his partner.

“Enjoy yourselves!” Mikage chimed musically, obviously enjoying the moment.

Then she noticed the floor below her starting to blur, fading into a bluish grey haze.

“Just relax and let it take you,” Tomoe spoke softly to her, moving his fan forward to touch her cheek. The contact made her look up, meeting his eyes as the world fell away…

 

 


	11. Unity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An urgent engagement at the Grand Shrine has on Nanami on edge. With so little time to prepare will she be ready for it? And what awaits her when she arrives? Ookuninushi, Lord of the Grand Shrine and host of the Divine Assembly must have something planned for her… 
> 
> RATING: M/MA Warning this chapter contains adult content! 18+ viewers only please! 
> 
> Mood music for scene in the Royal Suite - Sign Your Name · Terence Trent D'Arby

The grand shrine in Izumo was just as impressive as Nanami remembered.

A sprawling complex of large buildings spread out before her, connected by a maze of raised wooden walkways and broad flagstone paths.

Tensely clutching Tomoe’s arm, she gazed around at the immaculately trimmed hedges and huge stone statues gleaming softly in the darkness. The air felt much cooler here, unlike the late spring warmth she had just left behind. There was a crisp bite to it that Nanami could feel on her face and hands.

Gently Tomoe steered her towards the main hall through the dark, empty landscape.

Arriving at a pair of elaborately decorated doors he paused to look at her, frowning slightly as he sensed her discomfort. Are you all right?” he asked softly, sliding his fan closed with a deft movement of his fingers.

“I’m just a bit jittery, I think it’s the short notice,” she responded quietly, glancing up at him from under her brows. It wasn’t just the sudden invitation of course; she was still reeling from Mikage’s angry outburst and Tomoe’s beguiling appearance.

“There’s nothing you need to be concerned about, we are only here to dine,” he reassured her. “Once we’re inside just follow my lead.”

As the doors swung open a long wide hall appeared before her, its walls lined with golden screens. The ceiling soared above, disappearing into a hazy abyss.  Clouds of tiny lights bobbed through the air, filling the atmosphere with a warm soft glow. Scattered around the edges of the room were clusters of low slung tables occupied by various deities, eating and chatting amongst themselves.

Tomoe seemed to know where to go, leading her straight to the far end of the hall where a large flat table sat centred on a raised platform.

“Please take a seat, Lord Ookuninushi will be with us shortly,” he advised her, gesturing to a large cushion directly in front of the table. Taking her hand he helped her to sit, much to her relief. The weight of her outfit made it difficult to move, let alone grapple with the intricacies of landing gracefully on a floor cushion.

Releasing her hand he settled gracefully next to her, reaching for a large vial of sake. “Have some my love, it will help to calm your nerves,” he offered kindly, pouring a cup and holding it out to her.

Raising her eyebrows she took it, cautiously pressing the smooth ceramic edge to her lips. He was actually encouraging her to drink, much to her surprise.

The warm sake felt good as it ran down the back of her throat, calming her nerves and soothing her mind. Such an effect could only be achieved by a sacred brew, created by a familiar much like Mizuki. Eagerly she downed the contents in one gulp, letting the magical brew do its work.

Sighing quietly, she looked across to find Tomoe duplicating her actions. Replenishing his cup, he offered her a refill as well…

Something was up. He never approved of her drinking, even if it calmed her nerves. In normal circumstances she’d be lucky to acquire a single cup under protest.

Watching him warily, Nanami considered the situation as he nimbly refilled her cup. Taking another sip she felt the sake kicking in, sharpening her wits and awakening her natural boldness. “Alright, what’s going on?” she asked firmly, “You’re preparing me for something and judging by the way you’re throwing the drinks around I’m not going to like it.”

“I am,” he admitted, meeting her gaze as he elegantly lifted his cup to his lips. Taking a long sip, he kept his large violet eyes fixed on her.

_The cheek!_ She thought indignantly, staring back at him.

“You lied to me; this isn’t just a dinner invitation,” she growled reproachfully, crossing her arms.

“Well I wanted to ensure that you actually got here,” Tomoe responded blithely, a small smile crossing his lips as he continued to meet her glare. 

_He’s enjoying this!_ She realised, the outrage creasing her forehead into a frown. _How dare you set me up, you gorgeous piece of shit!_

“Are you going to tell me what this is about?” Nanami snapped, “Or do you intend to get me wasted so I agree to whatever it is you and Ookuninushi have planned.”

Narrowing his eyes, his smile grew wider as he avoided her questioning with a diversion. “I never fail to be amazed at how quickly these sacred brews take effect on you,” he declared airily, flicking his ears as he briefly glanced over her shoulder.

Incensed by his words, she tipped her head back and poured the contents of her cup straight down her throat. “There,” she announced tartly, “I’m all ready now, bring out the heavies and try talking me into one of your stupid…”

Abruptly she stopped, suddenly aware that a group had arrived on the other side of the table. Looking up she recognised the figure of Ookuninushi, flanked by a clutch of bearded old men.

Quickly depositing her cup on the table, she plastered a smile across her face. _Oh bravo Nanami_ she thought wretchedly, _another classy display…_

“Hello you two!” the god of wealth chimed, waving a hand through the air to dismiss his advisors.

“You sound pleased, I assume the meeting was a success,” Tomoe offered, raising his cup.

Dropping down onto a cushion, Ookuninushi collected a silver goblet from the table and raised it into the air. A large white rabbit in a crisp grey robe bounded into view, hopping up next to him and scooping up the sake vial. Twitching its nose in concentration, the servant rapidly filled his cup before gracefully backing away.

Taking a deep draft from his chalice, he waited a moment before slowly exhaling. “Oh that’s the stuff,” he gasped, clearly enjoying his drink. “Yes the meeting went well,” he finally responded, giving Tomoe a knowing smile.

Nanami sat up straight, composing herself as he turned his eyes towards her.

“Oh my goodness!” Ookuninushi exclaimed, raising his eyebrows as he examined her outfit. “That is superb! Is it from the Muromachi period?”

“I believe so,” Tomoe answered, saving Nanami from an embarrassing gaffe. “It would appear Otohiko has been raiding the shrine’s storeroom again.”

“Ahh, you two first met at the end of that era,” he remarked, “how nostalgic of him.”

“I would have worn something in a similar theme had I known,” Tomoe responded, smoothly sliding his fan open. Touching its edge to his cheek, he gave Nanami a little wink.

“Heavens no,” Ookuninushi remarked, shaking his head. “That ensemble you’re wearing is splendid; you must tell me who your tailor is before you leave.”

Turning his attention back to Nanami, the god of wealth emitted a small sigh as he absently toyed with his collar. “You remind me so much of the women from that era,” he commented wistfully, “spirited, determined and sincere. You really do make a wonderful god.”

“Thank you,” she responded modestly, “I’m not sure if I’m cut out for it, but I’ve tried my hardest to fill Mikage’s shoes.”

Before their host could respond, a servant padded up discreetly beside him and leaned in to whisper in his ear. “Ugh,” Ookuninushi groaned, “I must attend to my other guests, but first I believe there is a matter that needs to be settled.”

Smiling serenely, Tomoe slowly closed his fan and placed it on the table. “There is,” he said lightly, turning his attention to Nanami. “My love, would you close your eyes for a moment?”

This was unexpected. She’d been anticipating a sales pitch for some absurd plan involving her in a life threatening scenario. Or something equally ridiculous that she could enjoy tearing down with a few witty retorts.

Completely surprised, she couldn’t refuse his simple request. Cautiously she closed her eyes, expecting to hear the scuffing of an item being placed on the table.

Instead she felt the warmth of Tomoe’s touch as he took her left hand, sliding something onto her ring finger…

Opening her eyes, she looked down to see a beautiful ring adorning her hand. For a brief moment she took in the design, a large clear stone surrounded by petals of pink and white diamonds, with a smaller flower offset to the side.

Then it hit her. It was an engagement ring.

Stunned into silence, her mind tried to process what was happening. Her lips parted slowly as she stared down at her hand, slowly registering what he had done. _He just put a ring on my finger,_ she thought numbly, _my Tomoe, he just…_

Then she cracked. Losing all self-control, she screwed her eyes shut and slapped her right hand over her mouth. Shock, anguish and joy overwhelmed her as she cased up, slowly crumpling forward…

Tomoe caught her in his arms, cradling her gently as a strangled whimper escaped from her lips.

“We’ve been engaged for over five hundred years,” he said softly to her, “so this is well overdue.”

From beside her a muted gurgling sound erupted. It was Ookuninushi, attempting to muffle himself with a large white handkerchief. “Oh this is magical!” he blubbed, pressing the ornately edged fabric to his face.

“All I ever wanted, all I ever needed is here in my arms,” Tomoe whispered softly, holding her head against his chest. “I’m yours forever if you will have me.”

She tried to reply to his declaration but her trembling lips couldn’t form a response. Not that it mattered; just breathing was proving to be a challenge. Too shaken to speak, she settled on gripping his free arm between her shaky hands.

The god of wealth emitted a squeal, revelling in the scene unfolding before him. “I’ve never witnessed anything so delightful in all my long years!” he babbled thickly, clutching his goblet to his breast.

A group started to form around them, the gods in attendance coming forward to offer their congratulations. Nanami kept her head down, burying it against her fiancé’s chest to hide her discomposure. It was all too much; she felt such happiness, such surprised elation, that she couldn’t control the blinding stream of tears filling her eyes.

*************

Covering her face with a borrowed handkerchief, Nanami sat quietly in Tomoe’s lap. Her tears had finally dried, leaving her eyes feeling puffy and sore. _I must look like an overripe tomato_ she thought self-consciously, keeping her head down to avoid scrutiny.

Ookuninushi was in a similar condition, having finally stopped blubbering and resorted to the sake.

“I’m so glad you allowed me to witness this,” he said happily, dabbing at his eyes as his chalice was filled. “It makes all the dramas of the last few days worthwhile.”

“It was our pleasure,” Tomoe responded smoothly, gently stroking Nanami’s hair. “Without your aid we wouldn’t be sitting here today.”

“The idea of an engagement didn’t appeal to me at first, but now I’ve witnessed one I’m completely won over with the concept,” the god of wealth confessed earnestly. “On the rare occasions that gods wed they usually just announce a date.”  

Glancing at one of the servants perched nearby he added, “Well I think it’s time you were both given some space, feel free to retreat to the suite I’ve placed at your disposal.”

One of the rabbits padded up softly, bowing deeply before addressing them. “Exalted guests, your rooms are ready when you wish to retire. Refreshments have been arranged on the water balcony for your delectation.” Placing a small golden statue on the table it added, “Your suite is located on the far side of the lake in the royal enclave so please avail yourselves of our transfer service.”

“Ah delightful,” Tomoe responded, giving the servant a gracious nod. “We will be there presently.”

Rising unsteadily to his feet Ookuninushi bade them a fond farewell before departing, his oversized handkerchief still pressed to his face.

Tomoe collected the tiny gold rabbit effigy from the table before gently enveloping Nanami in his arms. She felt the cushions disappear from beneath her as he levitated them both into the air. “Let’s get you somewhere quiet,” he whispered softly as he let her find her footing. Just as her feet touched the ground, the little statue started to glow…

A suite of lavishly decorated spaces filled with ornate furnishings and softly glowing lamps blurred into view. She barely glimpsed their opulence before being led out to a suspended balcony overlooking a large lake.

In the centre of the deck sat a small table, positioned amongst a collection of huge velvet floor cushions. The area was lit by small white paper lanterns which floated delicately over a thick gilded railing.

“This is beautiful,” Nanami commented softly, looking out over the moonlit water. “And peaceful too.”

“We’ve satisfied Ookuninushi so we won’t be disturbed now,” Tomoe said quietly, helping her down onto the cushions. “The news of a god’s engagement at the Grand Shrine will restore his reputation as a host, which will please him no end. Such things are rare events in the spirit world.”

Settling gracefully next to her, he glanced over briefly before making an admission. “I intended that to be a private moment between us, but the old soak pried my plans out of me.”

“Is that why I didn’t see you till lunchtime today?” she teased gently, giving him a half-hearted slap on the hand.

“Ugh, you have no idea,” he groaned, rolling his eyes. “He puts away more sake than anyone I’ve ever met and I’ve known some truly legendary drunks.”

Taking a deep breath, Nanami surveyed a collection of savoury foods arranged on a glowing silver tray. Carefully she picked out a large fried roll, noting that it felt warm to the touch. As she bit into it a burst of rich flavour filled her mouth, making her realise how hungry she was. “This is delicious!” she mumbled, covering her face with her free hand.

Tomoe sat peacefully beside her, casually sipping sake as she proceeded to devour the delicious treats. It felt so good to have him near; it had been too long since she’d felt the quiet contentment of his company.

Eventually Nanami’s feasting slowed as her hunger abated, her mind now free to start processing what had just transpired. Swallowing a mouthful of cool sweet water, a particular question popped into her head. “Okay, so who knew this was going down?” she asked curiously.

“Pretty much everyone,” he replied whilst casually plucking a small dumpling from the tray. “I know that sounds very conspiratorial, but we were all sworn to silence by Ookuninushi.”

“I’ll bet that nearly killed some people,” she remarked, smirking as she imagined the shrine’s inhabitants struggling to keep their mouths shut.

“I thought Otohiko would break from the strain, but he found a way to give you a hint,” he revealed, casting his eyes over her.

“Oh I see!” she remarked, looking down at her robe. “I did say it was a bit bridal, but he fobbed it off.”

“He’ll be paying for it tonight; Mikage will tear strips off him,” Tomoe advised sombrely, pouring himself more sake. “That Uchikake has some history. Not long after I arrived at the shrine the wife of the local Shogun came to pray for a child. When she died shortly thereafter, Mikage became very melancholy for quite some time. We received the robe as a gift from her family, but he refused to accept it. Unbeknownst to him, I chose to keep it as the design captured my eye.”

Pausing for a moment, he took a deep draught from his cup before continuing. “When Mikage discovered it, he burst into tears and told me that one day it would break my heart to look upon it. I had it placed into storage, never knowing what he meant.”

Surprised, Nanami sat back as she realised what he was saying. “He knew about the promise I made to you right from the beginning, that is so sad,” she murmured, thinking about the image of a cherry blossom tree embroidered across her back.

“I spoke of it before he buried my memories,” Tomoe explained, placing his cup delicately on the table. “Mikage is extremely sensitive, like many of the higher order gods. He wasn’t born from the need of humans so he is likely to be a descendant of the ancients.”

Looking up, she gazed into his wonderful eyes and thought of how awful it would have been for Mikage to carry the fear of losing him for so many years. “When we get home I might give the robe away, I really can’t keep it if it upsets him.”

“Don’t be concerned my love, I’m sure he doesn’t mind you having it,” Tomoe said soothingly, moving closer to her.

He was always deadly at close range, but tonight he was devastating. The light from the lanterns played across his face as he slowly stroked his fingertips along the back of her hand…

“I hope the ring is to your liking,” he asked keenly, staring intensely down at her.

Like a rabbit caught in the headlights, Nanami stared back into his blinding gaze. “It’s perfect,” she said in a tiny voice, her eyes wide with awe. Everything he about him was perfect, every movement, every gesture…

“Nanami, there is something I must share with you,” he said solemnly, suddenly casting his gaze away. “I’m sure this news has already reached you and it’s sure to be causing concern.”

This sounded ominous. “Well sure, fire away,” she responded apprehensively, trying not to sound as alarmed as she felt. What on earth could be bothering him so much that he needed to say it right now?

Sitting back slowly, Tomoe reached for the sake vial before continuing. “You will be aware of your friend Kei’s infatuation with Mizuki by now, yes?”

Surprised by his statement, Nanami blinked rapidly as she tried to maintain her composure. She knew exactly what he was talking about.

“Um, kind of, I heard what happened at the club but I didn’t know she was smitten with him,” she replied uncertainly, fumbling with the fastener on her coat.

“Exactly what did Otohiko tell you?” he asked coolly, pouring himself a cup of sake.

_Oh crap_ she thought anxiously, trying to avoid his gaze. Tomoe knew well of the wind god’s habits. Caught off guard, she decided to divulge what she knew. Fixing her eyes on the table she responded haltingly, “Well he told me that you guys, well I mean you and Mizuki, um, well, you can seduce people with your saliva, ugh, I mean kiss, err…”

Tomoe observed her intently as she spoke, his tail making long slow arcs across the cushions.

“He has the details wrong, but the ability does exist,” he advised quietly. “Mizuki inadvertently used it under the effects of the enchantment and was genuinely shocked by his behaviour.”

“Oh wow, that is good to know,” she responded, somewhat relieved by the news. “Can I ask what he did?”

“Well,” he explained carefully, “it’s a very specific type of growl that some animal spirits can produce. At the right pitch, the vibration causes resonance. It affects the central nervous system of humans, making them susceptible to seduction. It’s delivered by pressing the mouth against the neck of the intended.”

_Holy shit!_ She thought uneasily, adjusting her position on the cushions as her mind grappled with the image of Mizuki latching onto Kei’s neck.

Suddenly she realised where this was leading, to the question that crossed her mind only hours ago…

“I know what you will be asking yourself,” Tomoe stated levelly, “and the answer is yes. I have used it, just the once. On you.”

Stunned by his admission, she stared blankly at him.

Tomoe turned to gaze out over the darkly shimmering waters, softening his voice as he offered her an explanation. “I would like to say that I did it purely out of concern for you, as I was worried that you would… well, feel pain. I couldn’t have that, not the first time…”

Nanami’s thoughts flashed back to that moonlit night on the veranda. _Of course_ she reflected, remembering the low soft growl he made as he kissed her neck.

“…it was effective, “he admitted quietly, the remorse clear in his voice. “But the effort was moot. I ended up harming you anyway.”

“The awful truth is that I used it to seduce you,” he confessed quietly, still looking out over the starlit landscape. “I wasn’t prepared to take things slowly so I used my abilities to get what I wanted. It should have been a moment full of love and tenderness enacted in a setting such as this, not the debauchery that I imposed on you. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”

The frankness of Tomoe’s declaration was a complete surprise; a few months ago he wouldn’t have admitted even the smallest misdemeanour to her.

He could have said nothing at all and she would have been none the wiser. Instead he was choosing to be honest with her, even though it might cost him dearly.

Nanami could feel her heart melting. He really did love her.

If she was completely honest with herself, she couldn’t hold it against him. If she possessed such an ability, would she use it on him? Knowing the answer, she couldn’t stop a large smirk from spreading across her face.

Dropping her head she replied quietly, “Oh Tomoe, it was hardly a seduction.”

Glancing up she saw him turn to face her, his ears pointing forward as a curious expression furrowed his brow. He obviously hadn’t been expecting her response, which she found rather pleasing.

“I’d wanted it to happen for weeks,” she admitted, nervously studying her hands. “I would have tried it myself, but there isn’t much information out there on seducing beautiful demons,” she joked awkwardly. “Even Kei couldn’t give me much advice.”

Examining the ring adorning her finger, she suddenly felt the urge to say more. “I’m very lucky to be sitting here; there are plenty of people who would happily take my place. You’re kinda perfect you know, you’re really smart, beautiful and well, everything… For an ordinary girl like me, I’m really punching above my weight here.” lt felt good to be admitting how she felt, like a heavy burden was being lifted from her shoulders.

“There’s nothing ordinary about you,” he replied fervently, “I knew it from the moment I met you all those years ago. You are rare and beautiful, even if you don’t realise it. Your spirit burns very brightly, if you didn’t possess a human body you could easily be mistaken for one born of the gods. Every spirit being that meets you can see it in your eyes.”

Glancing up at him, she could feel her cheeks warming from his compliments. It had been a hard conversation, but the honesty felt good. “Please don’t feel bad about what happened, you’ve been good enough to admit it so I forgive you.” 

“I’m so glad we can talk like this, I feel a great ease with you now,” he professed, placing his cup on the table. “I really want you to feel comfortable with me.”

“I try not to be anxious,” she admitted, smiling bashfully at him. “But it isn’t easy sometimes.”

“Well,” he said softly, sliding across the cushions towards her, “until recently there were two responses you would show if I ever moved close to you.” Placing one of his hands on the velvety fabric beside her, he gazed straight into her eyes. “The first was fear, the other surprise. Now that has changed. I see the desire I feel reflected in you.”

Nanami blinked uncertainly, her lips parting slowly as she stared back into his large violet eyes.

“More than that,” he continued, “I can sense something new. Your body warms to my proximity…” he trailed off, his eyes dropping down her body. “I can smell your desire, your scent, it’s incredible,” he breathed as his nostrils flared momentarily. “It’s like a drug, the most delicious thing imaginable. I don’t just want to taste you,” he whispered, his voice barely audible as his ears flattened against his head, “I want to drown in you, consume you, devour you…”

Tomoe’s words danced through her mind, mesmerizing her with their raw sensuality. She could feel her heart beating faster; hear the blood starting to pound in her ears. He hadn’t even touched her, yet her whole body was tingling with excitement.

The sound of a soft click reached her ears as he flicked his fingers together, the tiny lanterns twinkling in response before fading into the night.

Moonlight shone down from the clear dark sky, filling the air with its unearthly glow. Tomoe moved nearer, turning his head slightly as he leaned down over her. His breath played across her face, so warm and enticing…

Struggling to withstand the intensity of the moment Nanami pressed her eyelids shut. She could feel the cushions shifting as he moved around in front of her, slowly edging closer. The edge of his sleeve brushed over her hand, a strand of his hair danced over her face… then he stopped.

All was silent, except for the sound of her heartbeat thumping in her ears. Instinctively she held a hand up, immediately making contact with the front of his robe.

Carefully she let her trembling fingers travel up the fabric, finding the edge where it crossed his chest. Sensing bare flesh under the tip of her thumb, the urge to touch him suddenly kicked in. She reached up further, savouring the feeling of his smooth warm skin. _I want you so much_ she thought avidly, slipping her hand around his neck.

Tomoe’s mouth found hers, warm softness parting her lips. Emitting a small squeak, her senses lit up as he gently caressed her.

This is what she had been yearning for - the delicious rush of desire, the sinking yielding feeling that completely consumed her.

His effortless sensuality filled her senses, like the deep soaking rays of the sun. She could bask in it for eternity.

Nanami could feel herself slowly melting, her entire being turning weak and limp under his control. Curling her fingers into his hair, she struggled to stay upright as he tilted his head to deliver a full, passionate kiss.

This was heaven.

But it wasn’t enough. Deep within her a burning need was welling up, a hunger for him that had to be satisfied. It had been repressed for days, like all her impulses and desires. The self-control she’d exerted had paid in spades, earning her the protection of a powerful god, but…    

She was aching for him. All Nanami could think about was unleashing her desire and letting it burn her until there was nothing left but ashes.

Hungrily she pressed her mouth into his, drinking in his sweet warm taste. Her free hand found the front of his robe, scrunching the soft silky fabric between her fingers.

The craving overwhelmed her as she slowly crumpled under the relentless pleasure of his mouth…

Tomoe’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her close as he lowered her backwards onto the cushions. Clutching his neck, she kept her mouth locked onto his as she felt the weight of his body start to press against her.

She knew what she wanted, what she needed.

Slipping a hand down she found his thin red belt, attempting to untie it by squeezing a shaky finger between the sleek knotted cords. Dismayed at her ineptness, she then felt one of his hands moving around to intercept.

He was going to try and stop her. She couldn’t have that; she’d been through too much to be thwarted by him now.

Having a small epiphany, she gave up on the belt and went directly for his nether regions…

Suddenly his lips left hers as he sat back, sucking in a short sharp breath of air. “Not here,” he whispered, moving around beside her. Effortlessly he scooped her up, lifting her smoothly off the cushions.

Tomoe carried her inside, swiftly making his way into the depths of the suite. As he glided through the cavernous rooms small lanterns flickered out, plunging the space behind them into darkness.

All was silent except for the soft brushing of his long coat, the heavily embroidered hem dancing over the thick corded floor coverings.

Nanami fingered the cuff of his sleeve, the texture of the densely stitched red flowers tantalising her senses. Her heart raced as she imagined the beautiful coat sliding from his shoulders, the silky white robe unwrapping from his body…

Finding the main sleeping chamber, Tomoe moved towards an enormous low bed hidden under a canopy of dusky fabric. Tiny lights sparkled from the corners of the room, filling the atmosphere with a faint warm light. Stepping straight onto the bed, he walked to the centre then dropped smoothly to his knees.

Depositing her onto the plush covers, he released the fastener on her Uchikake with a quick flick of his fingers. Mutely she stared at him as he slid his hands up under the fabric and gently pushed it from her shoulders. The night air touched her skin through the thin fabric of her kosode as she breathlessly anticipated his next move…

He sat back slowly and took her hands, smiling at her in the softly glowing light.

Such a beautiful, incredible creature. And he was all hers.

It dawned on Nanami that it didn’t matter if she was nervous; it made no difference if she was young and inexperienced. Tomoe had loved her for half a millennia and would continue to hold her above all else for as long as he existed.

For a brief moment she gazed at him, taking in his exquisite outfit and perfectly arranged hair… then she lunged.

Reaching up she grabbed his head between her hands, pressing her lips against his mouth. _You’re officially mine now_ she thought eagerly, forcing him backwards onto the bed. _Give me what I need you gorgeous thing…_

Stunned, Tomoe lay sprawled in the plush covers as she kissed him passionately.

His body felt so warm beneath her, so solid and strong. Every inch of him was perfection; his angelic face, his strong lithe body, his long silky hair… Everything.

Tomoe’s hands moved to his waist, swiftly removing his thin red belt. He seemed to know what she wanted, offering no resistance at all.

Nanami’s blood raced through her veins, making her head spin giddily as she anticipated what lay ahead. The pleasure he could give was indescribable, it almost overwhelmed her just thinking about it. 

Eagerly she slipped a hand under his robe, pressing her palm into the flat of his stomach. Her lips left his as she stretched down, her mind consumed with only one thing…

Then she found it. His smooth hard cock, ready and waiting for her.

Gingerly she ran her fingers over the shaft, welcoming its familiar feeling. She wasn’t quite sure what she was going to do, but it didn’t matter. She was getting the reaction she wanted.

As soon as she made contact he let out a gasp, tilting his head back to suck in the cool night air.

Eagerly she pressed her lips into the side of his neck, burying her face in his soft hair. She could feel him growing warmer as she suckled on his skin, her senses filling with the taste of him, the scent of him…   _He’s so_ _divine_ she thought numbly, _I could stay like this forever._

Tomoe’s hands found her waist, effortlessly untying her soft fabric sash.  Smoothly he parted the folds of her robe, reaching underneath to touch her. His fingers danced lightly over her skin, like a musician stroking the keys of his instrument.

Completely distracted, her mind became consumed with the pleasure of his touch. She stopped kissing his neck, letting her lips rest breathlessly against him.  

His hands migrated down to her bottom, prickling her thighs into goose bumps. He was so gentle yet strong, so intensely controlled… It was completely hypnotic. 

With a flick of his fingers her underpants disappeared, the silky fabric falling away from her skin.

For the briefest of moments she mourned the loss of her best knickers before his hands grasped her backside, sliding her into position directly atop him. Then he slid his palms down the back of her legs, pulling her knees up either side of him.

Nanami could feel his cock pressing into her pubic bone, filling her mind with nervous anticipation. Hastily she withdrew her hand, hoping that in moments he would be pushing himself into her…

Suddenly one of his hands moved to the back of her head, cradling it against his shoulder. In a heartbeat he flipped them both over, putting Nanami flat onto her back.

Letting out a surprised yelp, she stared up at him with a quizzical frown.

A small sensual smile touched his lips as his hand moved around to her face, tracing her jaw with his index finger. “Not yet,” Tomoe whispered huskily, planting a warm soft kiss on her mouth.

Then he flicked his tongue across her lips, startling her briefly before moving down her body.

A spark of anxiety flashed through her mind as it dawned on her she wasn’t prepared. Had she known the evening would end like this, there would have been some serious grooming. Her mad dash through the shower just before dressing really wasn’t enough...

Fortunately, she had little time to be concerned.

His hands moved to her breasts, discarding her delicate lacy bra in one deft movement. Distracted by the destruction of another piece of underwear, she emitted a small puff of exasperation.

Before she could form the words of a protest he ran his tongue down her body, starting at her neck and ending well below her navel. Instantly she tensed up, clutching at her chest as the cool night air touched the long moist trail.

Her knees started to quiver as he nuzzled his nose into her pubic hair, wiggling his way down ever so slowly…

Producing a small squeal, her whole body twitched as she felt the incredibly smooth, silky sensation of his warm wet tongue sliding over her.

There was nothing like it in the entire universe.

Writhing helplessly in the plush covers, she grasped desperately at the soft fabric with her twitching fingers. Her knees tried to bring themselves together only to be pried apart by his firm, gentle hands.

Vaguely she noticed the sensation of his fingertips touching her legs, his long nails now absent. He let them play over her thighs for a moment before slowly descending… 

His hands moved all over her, touching, probing… The feeling was incredible, so exquisitely intense and erotic. Her nether regions started to ache, an almost painful sensation that made her break into a light sweat.

The space around her was so very quiet, so darkly serene… except for the sound of her ragged gasps as her body submitted to his will. Acutely aware of the noise she was making, she hastily crammed a knuckle into her mouth. Without thinking she bit down hard, sending a sharp shot of pain down her arm.

It was useless of course, there was no way she could control her reactions. Forfeiting silence she released her finger, surrendering herself to the inevitable pleasure. Her legs abandoned their struggle, going limp and useless beneath her. All that existed was the incredible feeling radiating out all over her body, so intense and consuming…

The sensation of his warm, wet tongue rolled through her mind as she glanced down between her legs.

To her surprise, his eyes met hers as he gazed up from under his brows. His large eyes flashed with a predatory glint, like a hunter savouring its prey.

Then his tongue moved to a particular spot, sending hard jolts of energy rippling through every nerve.

The sensations quickly ramped up to an exquisite, searing point of ecstasy. As her eyes rolled back into her head she arched her spine, moaning loudly into the night air. Her face felt numb, like she’d fallen into a drunken stupor, her lips dry and hot… She knew this feeling, this extraordinary pleasure that he delivered so perfectly.

The world fell away as it started to overwhelm her, making her grit her teeth against its intensity. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t focus on anything. Her whole body stopped moving as every muscle started to tighten...

Then it hit her, the explosion of scorching, all consuming pleasure.

She let out a long wail as it coursed throughout her body. Nothing else existed. Nothing else mattered.

_So perfect_ she thought vaguely, lost in a haze of mind numbing bliss.

For an unknown time she lay there, all worries and concerns purged from her thoughts. The anxiety, the gut wrenching fear of the last few days… it was all gone, all burned away.

As the sensations slowly dissipated, a feeling of deep contentment filled her mind. She felt wanted, desired, loved.

This wasn’t a one sided love affair anymore; she wasn’t just another hopeless fool desperately crushing on him. The ring on her finger was a statement to the world that they belonged to each other, now and forever. He had declared their engagement publicly in the Grand Shrine and soon everyone in the spirit world would know of their union.

“My love,” said a voice from somewhere in her head. Only it wasn’t in her head, was it?

“Don’t you dare go to sleep on me,” Tomoe chided her gently, brushing a hand across her stomach.

Regaining focus, she opened her eyes just in time to catch him sitting upright, his white silken robe sliding from his shoulders…

It dawned on Nanami that she had never actually seen him shirtless, let alone naked. The handful of intimate moments they had shared were almost exclusively undertaken in darkness. She knew he did this on purpose, being well aware of her shyness, but now she could see what she was missing. In the soft light she could clearly see the span of his shoulders, the curves of muscle in his arms and torso, the sharp shallow indent between his pectorals…

Slowly Tomoe leaned down over her, letting his long white hair fall around him. She could feel it touching her skin, brushing over her bare flesh…

“I’m not done with you yet,” he murmured sensually, running his hands down her arms.

Gently he lowered himself onto her, finding her mouth with his warm soft lips. Kissing her tenderly, he gasped slightly as he wiggled his hips between her legs.

Nanami knew what was coming. Her heart started to race as she anticipated the sensations that were about to start… 

Ever so slowly he pushed into her, his whole body tensing up.

His hands found her wrists, long fingers gliding down over her palms to intertwine with hers. “I love you so very much,” he whispered intensely, sliding her arms through the plush bedding until they came to rest just above her head.

Then he began to move slowly, sliding out and in, over and over…

“Oh Tomoe,” she muttered breathlessly into his mouth, lost in the incredible sensation of him folding into her. Her body started to respond, squeezing around him as he gradually increased his speed. The waves of pleasure started to intensify, like a fire being fanned by a strong breeze.

Wrapping her legs around his waist, her toes became buried in the silky strands of his tail. Sliding her feet down she could feel his taut firm backside under her heels...

_So perfect, so delicious._

He was breathing hard now, his hot breath flowing over her face as he pressed her hands into the soft covers.

Nanami could feel her body overheating, her face starting to flush... she was sweating from every pore. Closing her eyes she surrendered to the heat, the intensity, the pleasure. _Yes burn me;_ she thought feverishly, _burn me to ashes…_

He started to thrust harder, panting as he drove himself into her. Lifting his chest, he released her hands to grasp at the bedding as he started to lose control…

She squeezed his body between her thighs, gripping him as hard as she could. She could feel him starting to twitch as his long tail made a single, hard flick across her feet.

Tilting his head back, he gasped into the night air and muttered her name. Then a long hard moan escaped his lips...

_Yes, yes,_ _come for me you beautiful thing._

She could feel him releasing into her, his whole body shuddering in a mesmerizing, rhythmic dance.

Nanami couldn’t help but stare up at him, captivated by his reactions. Blurrily she took in his flawless fair skin, gleaming with sweat in the soft warm light.  The muscles rippling up his arms, across his chest… His long white hair, sticking to the damp skin of his throat… The tiny rivulet of sweat running down over his nipple…

He was magnificent.

Then Tomoe dropped his head to stare down at her, his eyes flashing fiercely. It wasn’t a passionate gaze; he looked straight through her with a deadly, penetrating intensity.

She knew that look. The burning glare of a demon.

Rarely did she see this side of him. He always kept it well hidden, fearful of terrifying her to the point where her feelings towards him changed.

This was the apex predator, the creature that could destroy worlds, eradicate gods...

Try as she might, she couldn’t pretend that she didn’t like it. The old Tomoe that surfaced in these unguarded moments was dangerous, impulsive and very, very sexy.

Nanami reached up to him, hungering to touch the beautiful, deadly creature before her. Ecstatically she ran her hands over his shoulders, across his chest… She could feel the dewy moistness of his skin, the wet warm trickles of perspiration running down his muscles…

“Do I please you?” He spoke in a dark, husky voice.

Grinning deliriously, she looked up at him in fervent adoration. “Absolutely,” she murmured thickly.

“Good,” he purred sensually, “because you are going to get a lot more of this.”

She thought of him coming to her bedroom every night, slipping off his robes and sliding under the sheets… 

It was like a sweet, delicious dream.

Nanami was completely relaxed now, no longer nervous or intimidated by his daunting presence. He would always be able to overwhelm her with his charms, but when they bonded like this her fears and anxieties evaporated like dew in the morning sun.

“You owe me a set of expensive underwear,” she murmured cheekily, remembering the destruction of her lingerie.

“Don’t wear any, it only gets in my way,” he responded smoothly, his eyes softening as his lips formed a smile.

“Fine,” she bantered, “I’ll stop wearing them, even to school.”

“Sounds marvellous, I can’t wait,” Tomoe retorted smoothly, lowering himself back onto her. “That storeroom on the ground floor has a sturdy table, I’m sure that will come in handy.”

Chuckling, she reached up over his shoulders to wrap her arms around his neck. “They’re never going to let you back in a classroom with me,” she murmured happily.

Gently he touched his mouth to hers, sliding his arms underneath her body. Then he slowly started to move his hips against hers in small rhythmic circles.

Gasping softly, Nanami closed her eyes to savour the pleasure. Dreamily she relished the salty taste of his lips; the warmth of his soft damp hair under her fingers…

It was going to be a long night.

 


	12. The Proposition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nanami wakes up in the Royal Palace in Izumo. But things aren’t as calm as they seem, as she finds out when an amazing offer is made to her.

The morning sun filtered softly into the labyrinthine depths of the suite.

Blinking into consciousness, Nanami looked up into canopy of darkly shimmering fabric. For a moment she was lost, then she remembered where she was…

The Grand Shrine in Izumo.

Blurrily she gazed around as her mind adjusted to the unfamiliar surroundings. This wasn’t just any bedroom; it looked like something lifted from the pages of a story book.

Huge sliding screens formed the walls of the room, each one painted with the single image of a life sized tiger. The huge predators posed gracefully amongst stands of cool green bamboo, their gingery fur glimmering with tiny flecks of gold. To say that they were remarkable was an understatement; the level of detail and execution was probably not achievable by human hands. Each creature was so exquisitely rendered that it almost seemed to be alive. 

But the screens weren’t the most dazzling element, the ceiling eclipsed them easily. Thin black glossy beams crisscrossed the entire space, breaking it up into small panels. Each recessed square was filled with tiny coloured flowers, enamelled onto a background of solid gold.

The only piece of furniture was the enormous bed, positioned squarely in the centre of the room. Four dark wooden columns supported the canopy, each one swathed in intricate carvings. As Nanami looked closer the recognised the twisted forms of Asian tigers and Sika deer, their bodies entwined in an endless battle for life and death.

It was an eerily majestic space, seemingly empty yet full of life. All the creatures were frozen in place like they had been captured and rendered into the furnishings.

Nanami could feel their penetrating stares, almost as if they were waiting for something. They were all around her, encircling her, all focussed on the bed like it was a stage for their entertainment.

Anxiously she glanced around from under the plush covers, looking for something familiar…

Then she found him.

Tomoe was lying within reaching distance, curled up snugly in the thick dark bedding. Only his face was exposed, his pale skin almost luminescent in the morning light. She paused for a moment, expecting his eyes to open as he detected her movement. But no - he was sleeping soundly, lying on his stomach with his face turned towards her.

Knowing he was close by brought her instant relief. No matter how anxious or alienated she felt, his presence would always give her comfort. His unquestionable power made her feel protected no matter where they were.

It was so rare to catch him like this – completely still and serene.

When he was conscious, she could never look at him closely without suffering his withering gaze. This was an opportunity that she couldn’t pass up.

Gratefully distracted from the decorations, she silently took in the perfection of his face. He looked so young and innocent, an almost boyish handsomeness to his finely sculpted features. His fair complexion was flawless; not a single scar or discolouration, even the pores weren’t visible at close range. His large eyes were rimmed with a thick short row of ebony lashes, lying against his skin like a raven’s plumage on winter snow.

To think he could be so intimidating when conscious was almost ridiculous at this moment.

Then a sobering truth struck her. It was something that she often forgot, even though it was so apparent when she saw him like this.

Not one single atom of his body was flesh and bone.

Tomoe might appear to be mostly human but that’s where the similarities ended. He didn’t need to eat, he never got sick and he hadn’t aged in half a millennia.

For some strange reason, the truth of his existence struck a raw nerve with her. It was completely irrational of course; she had always known what he was. So why was it making her heart ache right now? She knew that when they married Ookuninushi would transform him into a human so this sudden melancholy made no sense at all.

She wanted to reach out and touch him to break the spell falling over her heart, but then those eyes would open and the innocence would disappear from his face.

Before Nanami could resolve herself the mood was broken by an overwhelming urge.

She needed to find the bathroom.

Hastily she looked around for anything she could put on. Behind Tomoe were clothing items scattered across the bed, there was something she couldn’t identify on the floor… nothing was within reaching distance.

She couldn’t afford to waste time, the call of nature was turning into a scream. Quickly she slipped out from under the covers, the cold morning air pricking at her skin. Naked and shivering, she padded across the thick woven floor mats towards the screens facing the foot of the bed. The eyes of the tigers followed her, their predatory stares boring into her from all sides.

A sharp stab of pain jolted her upright as her foot found the edge of a wooden shoe. “Shit!” she muttered angrily to herself, continuing on in a desperate hobble. Now she really needed to go…

Pulling on the edge of a large screen, she opened it wide enough to slip outside. Finding herself at the end of a broad hallway she scanned the area for a door with a handle. Her last stay in Izumo had taught her how to spot human facilities...

_Bingo!_ She thought triumphantly, spotting a large door with a shiny brass knob. Shuffling along on her one good foot, she made a beeline straight for it. 

Fortunately it was the entrance to a huge bathing room, complete with a very normal human toilet. Groaning with relief, she limped towards her destination.

Having relieved herself, Nanami paused to survey the space around her. The bathroom walls were lined with landscape paintings, each one coloured with rich vibrant inks. Pine trees lining ponds of soft blue water, delicate white cranes dancing amongst slender reeds of brown and green… The images rolled on around the room creating a beautiful panorama, a perfect frame for the pool sized bath in the centre.

Wisps of steam rose from the dark water, immediately drawing Nanami’s eye. _Oh a warm bath!_ She thought eagerly, tiptoeing across the cold tiled floor. Finding the stairs she hastily rolled her hair up and stepped in.

The water was well over her navel by the time her feet touched the bottom. It felt so divine, its soothing warmth soaking through to her bones. Moving to the far side she sunk down to her chin, letting the delicious heat envelop her.

This felt too good to squander with a hasty bathe, it really was relaxing and her injured foot felt so much better now. Parking herself against the smooth curved edge, she carefully placed her hair on the tiled floor behind her. 

Slowly Nanami closed her eyes, releasing a drawn out sigh. It felt wonderful.

Dreamily she floated in place, letting her mind drift through the memories of the last day. Everything had happened so quickly she’d barely had time to absorb all the details. The rush to get ready, the entrance to the main hall, the meeting with Ookuninushi, the evening in the suite… what a day it had been.

Then she remembered her engagement ring, quickly finding the band with the tip of her thumb. Thankfully it was still there, firmly attached to her finger. Slowly lifting her hand up out of the water she examined it proudly, watching as it sparkled in the soft light. She felt like she was officially engaged now, a bona fide fiancée…  

Suddenly her ears detected a sound, distracting her from her happy musings. Frowning slightly she glanced up…

Staring down at her from the top of the stairs was Tomoe. Wearing nothing but a smile.

“So this is where you got to,” he declared smoothly. “Mind if I join you?”

Nanami had never seen him standing naked in full view like this. _Holy shit!_ She thought astonishingly, gaping at his nether regions. _I wasn’t prepared for a full frontal_ …

Attempting to speak, she accidentally gulped in a mouth full of water. Coughing loudly, she covered her face with both hands to hide her burning cheeks. She felt so stupid reacting this way; it wasn’t like she was unfamiliar with him.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” he stated smugly, flicking his tail around to touch his navel.

Gracefully he stepped down into the pool until the water came up to his groin. Then he slowly glided towards her, his tail snaking behind him through the currents in his wake.

Peering between her fingers, Nanami involuntarily fixated on the part of his body directly in front of her. Heading straight for her at eye level was his cock, bobbing along in the water.

She could literally feel his self-satisfied grin beaming down at her. He knew exactly what he was doing.

“Oh Tomoe!” she exclaimed, finally finding her voice. “Do you have to do that?”

“Do what?” he declared innocently, slowly sinking down into the water.

Relieved of the view, Nanami managed to regain some composure. “For god’s sake tone it down, it’s way too early for me,” she grumbled irritably, splashing water in his direction. 

Chuckling softly, his eyes met hers as the water reached his chin. “Sorry my love, I’m in a rather mischievous mood,” he confessed as his eyes crinkled into a warm smile. “You are entirely responsible for it.”

Nanami couldn’t help but smile back at him. It was rare to see him express such genuine happiness; he was normally so cool and aloof. “And you say I behave badly,” she quipped back, pursing her lips in a mock frown.  

“You do,” he countered sassily, “I’d spank your bottom but that would hardly be a punishment.”

Before she could respond with a witty retort, Nanami heard a muted plop as her hair slid into the water. “Oh damn,” she murmured irritably, reaching around behind her.

“You’ll dry off as soon as you step out of the pool;” he advised her warmly, “the water is imbued with a spell.”

Suddenly he ducked under the water, leaving behind a swirl of long white tendrils. She could see him moving underneath the water, no bubbles rising to the surface… _He doesn’t need to breathe_ she realised, _he could stay down there for ages…_

Then he smoothly surfaced right in front of her.

“I’m sorry about the bedroom,” he stated quietly, flicking his hair back in an elegant sweep. “The decorations are truly unnerving.”

“Those tigers are freaky,” she murmured uneasily, the eyes of the beasts creeping into her thoughts. “It feels like they’re watching you no matter where you go.”

“I can only imagine what it gets used for,” he stated coolly, the displeasure clear in his voice. “But don’t concern yourself, we won’t be returning there. The servants are arranging our breakfast elsewhere.”

It was a relief to know she wouldn’t have to face the room of beasts again.

Tomoe had always taken such good care of her, attending to her needs and watching out for her. He made her feel so protected, so safe and nurtured. It was finally starting to sink in, to become part of her general awareness.

Nanami found herself staring at him, captivated by his gentle smile and half closed eyes. He rarely looked so soft and approachable.

She watched as he ran both his hands back through his hair, pushing it smoothly away from his face. His head tilted back, exposing the graceful length of his neck, the twining cords of muscle running down across his shoulders to his sharply flexing biceps.

He really was a delight to behold, even the most majestic of deities paled in comparison. _And to top it off he’s so damn pretty_ she thought to herself, watching a trickle of water run down his cheek. _Even when he’s soaking wet…_

Noticing her stare the smile vanished from his face, his eyes widening suddenly as they locked with hers.

“Come here,” he whispered intently, pulling her into his embrace.

She felt his hand slide around her waist, across her back, wrapping around her.

Nanami closed her eyes, savouring the sensation of his touch. Always gentle, even when he was being insistent.

“There’s something I need to tell you,” he whispered softly. “But it’s best you hear it on a full stomach.”

Another ominous declaration, the second he’d made in the last twenty four hours. Anxiously she glanced at him, her eyes reflecting her concern.

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said soothingly, “this doesn’t involve me directly. Ookuninushi has an offer for you to consider.”

Nanami couldn’t help but be surprised. What on earth could the god of wealth want from her now?

“An offer you say?” she asked him nervously, fearful of yet another outlandish scheme. “I don’t want to be jumping through hoops just to keep him happy.”

Frowning intently, Tomoe narrowed his eyes at her. “I wouldn’t let that happen,” he stated firmly, “I’ve made that clear to him. This is only a proposal; you can take it or leave it, whatever you please.”

She still felt deeply unsure about this; the god of wealth wasn’t known for making deals that wouldn’t benefit him in some way. “Just tell me now before the suspense kills me,” she pleaded.

“Eat with me first,” he whispered softly, his frown melting into a smile. Then his eyes dropped to her mouth as he slowly leaned in, closer and closer…

Those beautiful warm wet lips, brushing across her cheek, closing softly over her mouth. That gently paralysing feeling…

Briefly distracted, Nanami barely noticed as he slipped an arm behind her knees. Suddenly she was being lifted out of the water and carried towards the stairs.

Then she realised…

She was completely naked.

_Oh crap, don’t look at me!_ She thought desperately, hastily crossing her arms over her chest. Panic set in as she looked down at herself, her skin flushed pink by the heated water… _I look like I’ve been boiled!_ She thought miserably, screwing up her face.

Giving up, she pressed her head to his shoulder and squeezed her eyes shut.

She could feel his grin again, that smug aura of satisfaction.

As soon as Tomoe stepped out of the water it started to evaporate from their bodies. It was the strangest feeling, like the prickle of static on a dry windy day. She could feel her hair lifting up as the moisture released itself, filling the air with a fine mist.

Before she knew it he’d carried her out through the hallway and made his way into a bright sunny room. 

Gently depositing her onto a large floor cushion, he placed a silky white robe over her shoulders. Intensely relieved, she quickly slipped her arms into the sleeves.

In front of her was a low flat table filled with an assortment of breakfast foods and a fresh pot of tea.

Tomoe stood up behind her, moving away to find his own robe. “There’s a room next door with a small chest,” he advised her smoothly, “Otohiko packed some things for you.”

She remembered the wind god’s advice from the night before, hastily conveyed just before she left. Absently she touched her hair, knowing full well that it needed a brush. Then she realised what her breath must be like, not to mention the remnants of her makeup…

“I’ll be back in a minute!” she declared suddenly, scrambling off the cushion and stumbling towards the side door.

She could hear Tomoe’s chuckle as she tottered off, his rich warm voice floating through the air.

***************

“That will be all,” Tomoe announced, sending the servants on their way.

Nanami sat back from the table, quietly sipping a cup of tea. Having had her fill of an extensive breakfast, she now felt calm and relaxed.

This room was much softer than the others she had seen, no overpowering paintings or lavish decorations. Only one image graced the wall behind her, a figure of a geisha wearing an indigo blue kimono. In front of her was a vista of the lake, visible through a pair of fully opened screen doors. The sun danced softly over the water, sparkling with a million tiny reflections as birds bobbed slowly across its surface.

Tomoe was serenely elegant, smoking a long thin pipe as he reclined languidly against the doorsill. A vision in white, his long silk robe hung loosely from his shoulders.

She always enjoyed these quiet interludes where everything was calm between them. No words needed to be spoken, no gestures needed to be made. In the past these were rare treats, but with the deepening of their connection they seemed to have become more frequent.

The contentment Nanami derived from simply having him in the same room was a sensation that would never grow old. It filled her with a blissful, almost timeless sense of tranquillity.

She knew there was something to discuss, but she didn’t want the moment to end. It was just so lovely here like this…

“Feeling better?” he asked her warmly, tapping his pipe into a small bowl.

“Yes,” she replied softly, cradling a teacup in her hands.

“I hate to break the mood, but it’s time we discussed Ookuninushi’s proposal,” he said quietly.

It was time for reality to come crashing back in. Taking in a deep breath, Nanami placed her cup on the table. “Okay, let’s do this,” she declared in a level voice, fixing her gaze on the waters of the lake. She knew this would be something major; the god of wealth never did anything by halves.

“Before I start, I want to be clear. You are under no obligation to accept this offer,” he stated crisply. “Ookuninushi wanted to convey it to you directly but I refused to allow it. He would have tried to influence you and that is not acceptable.”

“I understand,” she responded quietly, keeping her eyes on the calm blue expanse. _This is going to be a doozy_ she thought anxiously; _he’s really getting serious here…_

Tomoe set his eyes on her, waiting for her reaction. “Very well then,” he said smoothly, “how would you feel about becoming an immortal?”

Completely stunned, Nanami stared back at him. “What on earth do you mean?”

“Well,” he replied, gliding over to the table, “no doubt you’ve become aware of how extensive Ookuninushi’s powers are.”

“Of course I have,” she answered warily, frowning up at him.

Settling gracefully next to her, he gently took her hands. “You already know that he can transform me into a human,” he said calmly, looking directly into her eyes. “He can do the same thing in reverse and change you into a spirit being.”

“That’s incredible,” she murmured quietly, gaping back at him in amazement.

“Before I was created, something happened in the spirit world,” he told her solemnly. “I suspect there was a conflict, but it’s hard to know for sure. None who were there will speak of it now. Ookuninushi’s parent’s disappeared at that time and their powers transferred to him. He became the most powerful deity that has ever existed.”

Nanami knew so little of the spirit world or the history of the gods. To think that they may have gone to war was a frightening notion.

“Because of his abilities, many gods seek out his support. They attempt to curry favour, asking for much but offering little in return. As a result, there are very few people that he has any faith in,” he advised her earnestly.

“You have earned his confidence,” Tomoe revealed, smiling softly at her. “You’re one of the few gods that has assisted him in a significant way, which makes you rather special. That is why he has made you this offer.”

She didn’t know what to say. The idea of becoming a fully-fledged deity was something she had never contemplated, not even in her wildest dreams. And then there was the issue of Tomoe becoming human…

“But I can’t!” she suddenly blurted out, clutching her hands between his. “I don’t want to live for thousands of years without you!”

Smiling softly, he tilted his head to the side. “Why would that occur?”

This was confusing. Tomoe had to become a mortal to fulfil his contract with the fallen god. “But you can’t be a yokai, not after we’re married, your curse will kill you…”

“No silly,” he said kindly, “don’t you remember retrieving the token of my contract? The curse was ended when you gave it to me.”

What was she thinking? The token was her hairpin of course, the one she gave him five hundred years ago.

“Sorry, I’m just trying to get my head around this,” Nanami admitted as her gazed dropped down to her hands. “So you would stay as you are and I would become a spirit being…”

“That is correct,” he confirmed quietly, “and I would remain your familiar.”

Gently he placed her hands into her lap, sitting back and flicking his ears. “You have much to consider my love, take your time and think it through. Ookuninushi’s offer will stand for as long as you need.”

It was hard to imagine existing for eons, the world would change and people would disappear from her life…

“What do you think,” she asked him seriously, “Should I accept the offer or stay as I am?”

“You must make the decision,” he stated smoothly, rising slowly to his feet. “I am happy to answer your questions, but I cannot influence you in this matter. As long as we are together my existence is complete.”

Dumfounded, she involuntarily raised her eyebrows as she tried to grasp what was happening. He didn’t want to guide her? That made no sense at all; he always offered his opinion, often without solicitation.

This wasn’t a choice she should be making without him, it involved them both whether he liked it or not.

Grabbing the hem of his robe, she gazed up imploringly into his eyes. “I can’t do this without you,” she pleaded, “I’ll get it wrong and regret it later. You’re a part of this too so you need to…”

“Then take your time and seek advice,” he interjected, “we’ll wed when we graduate in less than a year so nothing needs to happen until then. Mikage can guide you in your decision, as can many others. I will help you in any way I can, but do not ask me for my opinion.”

Looking up at him as he stood there, so beautiful, so powerful, so capable… she already knew what she wanted to choose.

Earlier that morning she’d fallen into a melancholy mood, saddened by the differences between them. If she became a spirit being those differences would be gone, just as they would if they both were human.

Was it wrong to wish he could stay this way? Nanami’s love for him had always been unconditional, but the offer of preserving him just as he was simply couldn’t be ignored.

Suddenly she realised that he was glaring down at her, his eyes narrowing with displeasure. “I know what you’ll decide if you don’t think it through,” he stated coolly. “Stop looking at me and focus on yourself.”

“No,” she murmured, staring back up at him. How could he have known what she was thinking? “But humans are weak, you’ve said it yourself, we’re so frail and puny like insects remember...”

“Don’t say such things!” he snapped at her, turning on his heel to walk away. The smooth fabric of his robe slid from of her fingers…

“Stop!” she bellowed desperately, her fingers clutching at the air. He couldn’t just leave like this, it was too cruel.

Then she realised what she’d done. Tomoe was frozen in place, his hands palms up in front of him.

“Unfreeze!” she blared in a panic, crawling across the cushions towards him. _He’s going to be furious_ she thought anxiously, reaching for the hem of his robe again…

His hands dropped to his sides as he turned to look down at her. She watched his ears flatten against his head and her heart skipped a beat.

“This is what I feared,” he uttered disapprovingly, scowling down at her. “You’ve already made your decision.”

“No I haven’t!” she lied desperately, her hands trembling as she clutched at his robe. “Please just sit down, I didn’t mean to command you,” she choked out. “Please, just…”

Suddenly his eyes softened, the anger vanishing from his face. “Oh Nanami,” he breathed, dropping to his knees.

She threw herself into his lap, wrapping her arms around him. “I don’t know what to do!” she bawled into his chest, her voice thick with emotion.

“I’m so very sorry,” he whispered gently, encircling her in his arms. “I lost my temper; I’m such a fool. Ignore the proposal if it’s too hard to decide, it will be much easier in the end.”

But it wouldn’t be now, not with such an incredible offer.

She could feel the tears welling up as she struggled to contain her anguish, it hurt so much when he got angry at her.

“Oh god, don’t start crying,” he murmured, placing a hand on the back of her head. “Now I’m going to have to do that thing again.”

For a moment she wondered what he meant, then she felt the soft deep vibrations spreading throughout his body.

He was purring for her.

Instantly distracted, the tears never came. She hugged him tightly, half smiling, half grimacing. _Why wouldn’t I want this_ she thought to herself, _who on earth wouldn’t._

Together they sat, locked in their embrace.

Eventually Tomoe stopped purring, leaning down slowly to touch his cheek to hers. His warm breath played over her skin, so gentle, so soft…

“Let’s not talk of this further,” he whispered sweetly, moving his fingers through the back of her hair. “Forget it and let things…”

“Shut up and kiss me,” Nanami interrupted, turning to find his mouth.

She was done with thinking, with proposals, with everything. The only thing that mattered was holding her right now.

Nanami hadn’t come here to get into an argument or pander to the wishes of a powerful god. She’d come to be with the man she loved. And here he was, holding her so close…

Finding his lips, she gently pressed her mouth to his. So soft, so warm, so inviting. She could lose herself in this sensation, this wonderful feeling.

Eagerly she slid a hand up the front of his robe, reaching around his neck, pulling him down to her. If he didn’t want to remain this way, she’d have to make the most of him while she could.

And she still had time to change his mind, if she tried really hard…

Her free hand wandered down his back, past his waist, disappearing into fur.

His tail felt so silky and soft, like the luxurious coat of a long haired cat. It really was a marvelous feature and he’d only allowed her to touch it recently. Cherishing its beauty, she stroked her fingers through the long smooth strands.

Tomoe noticed her behaviour immediately, lifting his mouth away from hers. “Please,” he said softly, reaching behind to take her hand.

“Not everything will change if I become human,” he whispered smoothly, touching her fingers to his lips. Kissing them lightly, he brushed them slowly across his mouth. Then he closed his eyes as he tilted his head, ever so slightly parting his lips. The tip of his tongue flicked across her fingertips, tasting her flesh…

Completely entranced, Nanami watched his every move.

Slowly his lips opened further, touching, sensing… then he sucked her index finger into his mouth. She could feel his tongue sliding all over it, rolling over and over as his teeth held her finger lightly in place. 

This was incredible. If she hadn’t already been sitting, she would have ended up on the floor.

Nanami knew her face was starting to burn, but she barely noticed the sensation. Her thighs were already going up in flames.

Tomoe opened his eyes just enough to see her, his large black pupils fully dilated. At such close range they were mesmerizing, that velvety soft darkness that absorbed everything… She could feel herself becoming entranced, engulfed in the endless blackness, just like the eyes of those tigers…

His free hand glided over her thigh, slipping underneath her robe. Long languid fingers brushed over her skin, up around the curve of her waist...

It was all too much for her. If he wanted to incite riot, then he better be ready for the consequences.

Pulling her finger from his mouth, she reached up and grabbed his face between her hands.

Tilting her head, she parted his lips to kiss deeply into him. She could taste the smoky hue of his breath, mixing with the sweetness of honeyed tea. Her tongue found the tips of his canines, their long points touched with a warm metallic taste.

She could go on like this forever, touching him, tasting him…

Suddenly she was on her back, the weight of his body pinning her down.

Tomoe’s lips closed around her tongue, sucking it, licking it…

His breathing became laboured as he locked onto her, a small whimper escaping his throat. She could feel his skin becoming warm and moist, almost like a fever spreading throughout his body.

Then it clicked – the metallic taste, his spontaneous response. It was her blood.

Neither of his hands was touching her now, he’d moved them to the edge of the floor cushion, grasping, clawing... She could hear the fabric straining as the threads began to tear.

His tail whipped hard across his back sending tendrils of fur flying into the air. One of his knees slid between hers, forcing her legs apart. She could feel his erection rubbing against her thigh as his hips began to grind her into the soft padding.

What had she done?

Nanami couldn’t decide whether to stop him or let this continue, she’d seen him lose control before but this was entirely different. Then she realised that she couldn’t halt him with a command; her mouth was already occupied…

Before she could figure out what to do, he suddenly released her tongue.

Dropping his head to the side, he lay there panting breathlessly into the cushion. His body started to go limp as the blood fever slowly faded from his system.

“I’m so sorry,” he breathed roughly into her ear. “I’m so, so…”

Nanami heard the anguish in his voice, the pain, the frustration…

Of course he hadn’t meant to alarm her. Or hurt her for that matter, it was just an instinctive reaction. His self-control had kicked in as it always did, his fear of harming her eclipsing his urges.  

“Hey, it’s okay,” she said softly, stroking the back of his head. “I’m fine, no harm done.”

But it wasn’t okay, not for Tomoe. His distress was obvious, his large soft ears pressed flat against his head. She always knew when he was angry or upset; those big white barometers gave away his mood.

Laboriously he levered himself off her, rolling sideways onto the floor. Sighing loudly, he threw an arm over his face. He really wasn’t happy with himself…

“We really must be careful,” he murmured regretfully, “you are far too fragile for this type of thing.”

Nanami flinched at his words. _Far too fragile. This type of thing._

_I’m not made of glass!_ She thought unhappily, her ego bruised by his remark. _I’m just as tough as any spirit being, I’ve proved that so many times now…_

She hated it when he spoke about her like this, like she was just another helpless human. _Like an insect, so puny and weak, so easily broken._

The words of an angry retort formed in her mouth, but somehow she managed to hold her tongue. An argument would only make things worse. Pausing for a moment, she tried to think of a way to prove him wrong.

Then she realised that Tomoe wasn’t completely calm, certain parts of him were still very much alert…

Rolling onto her side, she propped her head up with one hand. “Would you like a hand with that?” she drawled sarcastically, “or am I too fragile for that too?”

Turning his head towards her, he lifted his arm to reveal his face. One eyebrow arched in a curious expression as he opened an eye to look at her.

Nanami looked down at his waist, a large grin breaking out across her face. His robe had fallen open, exposing him for all the world to see. He hadn’t seemed to realise yet…

With lightning speed one of his hands moved down, flicking his robe over his erection.

Stifling a cackle with both hands, she rolled onto her back and squeezed her eyelids shut. _Touché!_ She thought triumphantly.

Then she felt the cushions moving beside her…

“You are incorrigible,” Tomoe murmured, sidling up beside her. “This is why I worry about you.”

Opening her eyes, she looked up into his smiling face. There was a blush to his cheeks, a delicate pink tone colouring his skin. Had she actually managed to embarrass him?

He looked so adorable with his half closed eyes, glowing complexion and winsome smile. A completely different creature from the hungry demon that had just relished the taste of her blood.

Such a magnificent puzzle - dangerous and fearsome one minute, sweet and vulnerable the next. He really was a complex being, an amazing blend of angel and demon all rolled into one delightful package.

His long white hair fell down around them like a veil, enclosing them in their own little world. Her world. For a moment she was in a place where only they existed, nobody could interfere, nobody could intrude...

Tomoe leaned down over her, kissing her lightly on the forehead. “Is your tongue sore?” he whispered softly, brushing a stray hair from her face.

She hadn’t even thought of her injury, there wasn’t any pain coming from her mouth… “It seems to be fine,” she said quietly, “it must have been only a nick.”

“Well I think it’s time we went home then,” he said softly, “our time here is done.”

Nanami’s thoughts turned to the shrine, the comfort of its unpretentious surroundings and the familiar faces of its inhabitants. It had become her sanctuary, her place of acceptance in a harsh and uncaring world. If she remained human she would have to leave this wondrous refuge and find her own way, returning to the struggle that had plagued her since birth.

With Tomoe at her side her future would eventually become secure no matter what she chose, but things were just so idyllic as they were. There was permanence, comfort, protection… things she had never experienced before. And she belonged there now. She was an integral part of a strange little family with all its delightful eccentricities.

As she lay there thinking wistfully of her home, a familiar sensation registered in her brain. Something was pressing into her side…

“I’m going for a walk,” Tomoe declared.

Furrowing her brows, she levelled an indignant glare straight at him.

Looking away to avoid her eyes, he slowly started to sit up. “I need to calm down,” he admitted quietly. “I’ll be back in a few minutes, the blood fever…”

_Not while I’m here!_ She thought crossly, hooking an arm around his neck. Reaching down to his nether regions, she easily found his wayward appendage.

“…Dear god!” Tomoe gasped, his eyes opening wide with surprise. “Please don’t do that, it’s not a good idea!”

But Nanami was determined; if he needed satisfaction then she would provide it. She didn’t see herself as some fragile creature; she was a strong and capable god with a will of steel. Her offer from Ookuninushi was proof of her ability to overcome all kinds of challenges, even if Tomoe wouldn’t recognise it.

Eagerly she moved her hand down over his cock, running her fingers along the shaft. She really did love this part of him, how responsive it was to her touch. It felt so smooth and warm, so deliciously inviting...

Tomoe pressed his eyes shut; sucking in air as she stroked him. The colour started to return to his cheeks, that delightful pink hue that made him look so vulnerable.

Excitedly she pulled him down, holding him against her body as she delighted in his response. Now she understood the thrill of seduction, the heady pleasure of taking control.

Nanami felt his hand close over hers, urging her to bring him release. But she wanted more than that, so much more.

“I need you,” she whispered softly, burying her face in the side of his head. The scent of his hair filled her senses, that delicious masculine smell mixed with a salty hint of sweat. Her mind rolled back to the night before, how he’d held her down in that huge dark bed, his body gleaming with perspiration...

“I can’t,” he muttered back hoarsely, realising what she sought. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Please,” she begged him quietly, unable to find the words to convey what she felt. Then it came to her out of nowhere, a line from a song, or a movie perhaps… “You put this in me, this need,” she muttered softly, “only you can quench my desire.”

As soon as the phrase escaped her lips, a memory flashed through her mind.

She knew exactly what to do.

“Seduce me,” she purred seductively, squeezing his cock between her fingers. “Just like you did the first time.”

Tomoe tried to speak but she cut him off, knowing it would be a protest.

“Do it!” she stated fervently, gripping the nape of his neck. If ever there was ever a place to try this, this was it. They had complete privacy here; there wasn’t another living creature within at least a hundred paces. There just had to be a way to convince him...

But she needn’t have concerned herself; the words of her command had already been received.

Tomoe’s mouth found her neck, warm soft lips closing over her flesh. His tongue started to dance over her skin as a low soft growl rose from his throat.

Just like before Nanami felt it vibrating through her body, creating an almost painful tingling sensation down her spine. Only this time it didn’t stop, it just kept going and going…

Suddenly the room started to blur.

An intense sensation spread throughout her, like a powerful opiate dulling her senses. Her face went numb like she was inebriated as her lips grew hot and tingly.

Then a slow throbbing started deep within her body, an overwhelming urge that couldn’t be controlled. She could feel her arms heating up, her legs, her torso… it was spreading all over like a hot flash.

Her heart was pounding in her chest, but it felt so distant, so removed. It should have been an intensely worrying sensation but it was barely registering at all. The only thing she could truly feel was Tomoe’s mouth against her neck, making that incredible sound.

Vaguely Nanami felt him responding to her, wrenching her robe apart, pushing himself into her…

She could feel her body yielding willingly, wanting to take him in, deeper and deeper. Her focus shifted to that beautiful cock buried inside her, filling her up like an empty vessel.

Then she felt the sharp pinch of his canines sinking into her flesh, sending out jolts of electricity to every nerve in her body.

Suddenly the world turned crisp and bright, the detail of everything around her almost blinding in its clarity. The surface of the walls became intricately textured, the air felt different - richer, thicker… sounds became clearer and louder…

It all came slamming into her mind in a sensory overload.

Her eyes snapped to the geisha on the wall as she noticed the incredible detail of the painting. The indigo fabric of the kimono was covered in swirling patterns of tiny coloured flowers, all flowing down to the hem and cuffs. Then she noticed the sad pale face looking down on her from those heavily lidded eyes, the jewel like tears sitting on rounded cheeks…

Nanami couldn’t make a single sound, not even a gasp to express herself. Her throat simply wouldn’t work, no matter how much she wanted it to.

Then her skin broke out in goose bumps as a hard, searing pleasure started screaming through her body. Her attention jumped back to Tomoe, the feeling of his skin, the smell of his hair, the hard panting of his breath against her neck…

She could feel every inch of him thrusting into her, every tiny fraction of movement… it was too intense, too overwhelming. Her brain couldn’t process it all; the sensations were tearing the very fabric of her mind apart…

Suddenly there was darkness.


	13. Friends and other annoyances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s wonderful what a joy your friends can be, but they can also be incredibly aggravating…

“C’mon where is it?” Ami whispered impatiently, grabbing her friend by the arm.

“Okay okay,” Nanami murmured back, glaring crossly at the little redhead. “I can’t show you here, we need to find somewhere private.”

Together the two friends traversed the school grounds, seeking out a secluded spot. Eventually they found a hidden area nestled between two buildings, its entrance barely visible through a wall of shrubs. Batting their way through the hedges, they found a small grassy space. Dropping their school bags, they flopped down into the thick long lawn.

“Kei’s almost here so we have to wait,” Ami declared, waving her phone around in the air. “She’ll skin me alive if I see it first.”

Within a few seconds Kei bounded through the hedges, her mobile phone held up like a beacon. “There you are!” she blared angrily, scowling furiously at Nanami. “I’ve been stalking you all day Momozono, this better be worth it!”

Grinning happily, Nanami hooked a finger around the small silver chain hanging from her neck. Pulling it up, she revealed her engagement ring swinging from the end.

“Oh my god!” Ami gasped, taking it delicately between her fingers. “It’s so beautiful, I love the design!” Completely enthralled, the little redhead examined it carefully as she turned it slowly in the light.

“Nice work there Nanami,” Kei said approvingly, crouching down to inspect the ring. “That’s one hell of a rock he’s put in the middle.”

“I love it so much,” she responded gleefully. “I wish I could wear it all the time.”

“Well it would raise a few eyebrows,” Kei noted solicitously, settling down onto the grass. “People would start asking questions and you really wouldn’t want that. Not to mention what the fan girls would do if they saw it.”

“She’d be torn to pieces!” Ami exclaimed excitedly, her large blue eyes lighting up with glee. “That mob already hates her guts; this would tip them over the edge.”

“I’d put up a fight,” Nanami declared, holding her head up defiantly. “They’d have to prise it from my cold dead hands!”

Grinning mischievously, Kei chuckled as she reclined back onto her elbows. “See what I mean? They’d work out in two seconds where it came from and then there’d be a riot. You can’t just wander around with that much bling on your hand.”

Ami offered the ring back, slightly disappointed that there wouldn’t be a revolt. “I’m so pleased for you,” she said warmly, affectionately patting Nanami’s hand. “After all you’ve been through you’ve definitely earned it.”

“It’s been hell for everyone,” Nanami remarked, glancing sombrely at her friends. It had only been a handful of days since Kurama’s party and the events that followed. So much had happened in so little time; the night at the club, Tomoe’s abduction, Ookuninushi’s intervention…

“Oh god,” Kei gasped, rolling her eyes. “Don’t mention the club or the whole shit show afterwards…”

“I know what you mean,” Nanami muttered gravely, “It’s going to take me weeks to get over it.”

“But it all ended well and everyone’s okay,” Ami pronounced happily, beaming like a ray of sunshine. “For all the danger and drama, it’s actually been kinda fun.”

“That’s easy for you to say!” Kei responded, “you didn’t get zapped to some park and nearly seduced by a snake!”

“Oh give me a break,” Ami drawled, flapping a hand dismissively in the air. “We all know you loved it.”

Glowering sullenly in the thick soft grass, the tall redhead was obviously regretting her choice of subject. “Hey I didn’t get a ring for my sufferances,” she retorted, attempting to divert the conversation. “Or a dinner invitation to a palace.”

Suddenly both girls turned their attention to Nanami, eyeing her off intently.

_This is going to be tricky,_ Nanami thought to herself.

Biting her lip, she fixed her eyes on the ground. If she played it cool they may not ask too many questions.

“You haven’t told us a thing about that,” Ami observed, “that must have been an awesome night. That tall blonde god let you stay in his palace…”

“Oh yeah!” Kei interjected, her face lighting up with delight. She’d suddenly seen her opening and went in for the kill. “I’ll bet that was amazing, you got an entire night all to yourself with that sexy fiancée of yours!”

“Well…um…” Nanami could feel her facing warming up, unable to control the images rolling through her mind.

_Ugh, I’m so tired of being embarrassed…_

Peals of laughter filled the air as her friends delighted in her discomfort.

“You should see your face!” Kei chortled, slapping her hands together. “I want all the juicy details, don’t you dare hold back on me!”

“Hey I want to hear it too!” Ami piped up, “I can’t live without your updates anymore!”

Grimacing miserably, Nanami hung her head in shame. “Not today please,” she protested, “I only got back yesterday and I haven’t had time to process it all.”

“Okay,” Kei said kindly, waving a hand in the air. “We’ll let you off the hook for now, but you’ve got to fill us in on the weekend.”

Nanami knew she should have expected the grilling, but it didn’t make it any easier. At least now it was over and done with and they could move on…

Suddenly Ami bolted upright, her eyes growing wide with realisation. “I just remembered Otohiko sent me a message,” she murmured absently, reaching for her bag. “Something about watching out for you Nanami.”

Pulling out her phone, the little redhead touched the screen. “Hey guys,” she said curiously as she rubbed her chin with her thumb, “what do you think he means by blood sports?”

Eyes bulging, Nanami stared at the ground. That could mean only one thing…

Suddenly the air was filled with a deafening cackle. It was Kei screeching as she rolled onto her side. “He bit you didn’t he!” she blared loudly, slapping her hands into the grass.

Ami stared blankly at her friend, completely confused.

This was humiliating.

“I’m going to kill that loudmouthed queen!” Nanami wailed, dropping her head into the grass. _Why would he do that_? She thought miserably, _he knows my friends will torment me…_

Finally the penny dropped for Ami. “Oh shit!” she exclaimed, “are you alright?”

Nanami could feel a small pair of hands touching her hair, moving it aside to inspect her neck…

“You can barely see it,” Ami declared, “It’s just a set of tiny red marks. Did Oti use that cream he has?”

Slowly sitting up, Nanami looked sheepishly at her friend. “Yeah,” she admitted, “It wasn’t that bad really, but Tomoe insisted I have it looked at.”

“How the hell did that happen?” Kei asked incredulously, levering herself up off the ground. “I know why it happened to me, but why on earth would Tomoe want to bite you?”

“I’m an idiot,” Nanami admitted quietly, staring down at the grass. “I wanted him to do it, as stupid as that sounds.” 

Smiling sympathetically, Kei crawled over towards her. “Hey kiddo, I understand,” she said kindly, patting Nanami on the knee. “It’s quite something isn’t it, that feeling it gives you?”

Nanami couldn’t help but smile back at her. Of course she understood.

Rising to her feet, the tall redhead placed her hands on her hips. Giving Nanami a sly wink, she transformed back into her sassy old self. “Well if that’s the worst thing that’s happened to you lately, you need to step up your game,” she announced expansively. “You haven’t been attacked by a god in at least three days, or nearly died, or almost killed someone…”

“I think she’s met her quota for the week,” Ami responded as she tapped on her phone, sending a message back to Otohiko.

“I’m done with all the drama,” Nanami announced resolutely, gazing up into the sky. “I have to start focusing on my future and being more responsible.”

“Good point!” Ami chimed, putting down her phone. “The entrance exams for college will be starting in a few months so we need to start buckling down.”

“Agreed,” Kei declared firmly, “In another year we won’t be sitting here, we’ll be out there in the real world.”

Nanami smiled wistfully of her friends, knowing that their journey together would soon come to an end. Each would move on to college or work, entering the adult phase of their lives.

She’d had so little time with them, barely more than a year now. “I wish we’d become friends sooner,” she said wistfully, “I’ve had so much fun with you guys.”

“Well none of our colleges are far away,” Ami responded, “so even if we get accepted it won’t be hard to catch up.”

“That’s right,” Kei stated, “No matter where our paths take us, we’ll always be able keep in touch. Agreed?”

Both girls nodded their approval, smiling happily at each other.

“Okay then,” Ami said warmly, “well Kei and I need to get to the library so we better head off.”

“Same here,” Nanami added, “Tomoe will be looking for me.”

Together the three girls left their shady sanctuary, returning to the bustle of the school grounds.

Nanami strolled alongside her friends, thinking about what lay ahead. She needed to concentrate on her studies, prepare for her college entrance exams… and decide if she wanted to become immortal.

Mikage had insisted that she make her decision after she graduated, wanting her to finish her education. It made sense to wait till then as that’s when she would be getting married. He wanted her to carefully assess the changes it would make to her life and weigh it up against the original plan. She happily agreed as there was a lot to consider, it wasn’t just about her…

Then she saw him, standing at the top of the stairs, gazing down at her.

Tomoe.

Dressed in a crisp white shirt and dark grey pants, he looked completely human. No long hair, no foxy features.

“Damn,” Kei murmured, glancing sideways at her friend. “How does he make that shitty uniform look so good?”

Nanami had to admit that even as a human he looked pretty amazing. Would it really be that bad if he became mortal?

“There you are,” he stated coolly, sauntering down the stairs. “Did you pick up those reference books you need for your assignment?”

For a moment she said nothing, staring mutely at him. She still had trouble believing he was hers, that he loved her more than anything else in the universe. Barely a day ago he’d escorted her to a palace dressed in ceremonial robes, given her an engagement ring, taken her to bed with him…

“Nanami?” he said curiously, serving her with one of his trademark scowls.

“Oh sorry!” she exclaimed, snapping out of her musings. “Yes I’ve got them now, I should get them home.”

“Well then,” he said softly, his frown dissolving into a smile.

Slowly Tomoe’s hand moved to her chest, his fingers brushing lightly over the collar of her blouse. Her silver necklace peeked out from underneath, glinting brightly in the sun.

Nanami froze in place, staring down mutely at his hand. If anybody saw this they’d definitely know what was going on...

A round of muted giggling erupted beside her as both her friends reacted to the display. Ami slapped her hand over her mouth as she gracelessly shoved her face into Kei’s shoulder.

Raising an eyebrow, Tomoe turned to regard them. Kei stared back at him, her face frozen in a barely controlled smirk.

“Shall we go home then my love?” he said casually, turning back to face Nanami. Reaching down he took her hand, gently leading her away.

People were going to notice, it couldn’t be helped.

Their relationship had evolved too far now, it was impossible to hide their affection for one another. But nobody needed to know all their secrets, who they really were, what they really were…

Casually they strolled out of the school grounds hand in hand, just like any other boy and girl.

Nanami gazed around her, taking in the details of her surroundings. The leafy green trees, the grey dappled pavement, the shiny bright paint of the cars lining the street… It felt so normal, so real, so grounded.

Above her clear summer sky spread out in an endless expanse of blue. Looking up she could feel its eternal, never-ending permanence.

Whatever the future held, good or bad, god or human, she knew one thing that would be just as enduring. Tomoe would always be at her side. 

 

 

 

 

 


	14. Deliberations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a quiet chat among friends in the Mikage Shrine…

“So what are you going to do?” The little god asked softy.

“I’m not sure,” Mikage answered uncertainly, glancing up from under his glasses. “There is an option I can take, but it really is a last resort.”

“Well we have to do something!” Otohiko piped up, swinging his scarf in angry little circles. “Until we can get to the bottom of this we’ve got to shut things down!”

They all looked at each other across the table, unable to reach a decision.

“Do what you must,” Tomoe said sombrely, rising to his feet.

“Are you aware of what you’re saying?” Otohiko stated, “It’s going to mean the end of…”

“Of course I’m aware!” he snapped back, glaring down angrily at the wind god. “Not all of us make decisions with our cocks in our hands.”

Gasping loudly, the wind god gaped back at him. Batting his eyelashes furiously he retorted, “Just as long as you realise that’s what you’re going to be left with!”

Sighing heavily, Mikage rolled his eyes. “For heaven’s sake you two, you’re not helping at all.”

“This is a serious business,” the water god stated, “whoever has interfered with the timeline needs to be identified. Unless we locate them soon, we’ll have to intervene.”

“Seven days,” Tomoe stated, fixing his eyes on Mikage. “If we cannot find them by then, you know what you must do.”

The matchmaking god looked up sadly at his old familiar, the whisper of an apology on his lips.

Tomoe gave him a small nod, then turned on his heel and glided out of the hall.

“We have much to do,” Mikage muttered, levering himself up off the cushions. “All this drama is making me feel so old…”

“If we don’t find this bastard, you’ll be feeling practically ancient soon,” Otohiko quipped, running his fingers through his hair. “I really don’t like what this could do to you.”

The little water god rose from her seat, flicking her lavender hair back absently as she glanced around the hall. “I hope my next visit is under happier circumstances,” she said gently, “until then I wish you luck.” Turning away slowly, she quietly left of the room.

Glancing out the door, Mikage let out another sigh. “I really don’t know what to do,” he muttered sadly, slowly wringing his hands.

Suddenly he felt the warmth of another’s touch. Looking down, he recognised the set of perfectly manicured fingernails resting over his hands.

“We’ll work it out,” Otohiko said softly, smiling brightly at him. “We always do, remember?”

“Yes we do,” he responded quietly, smiling back at him.

THE END

_For now…_

_New story coming out Christmas 2018!_

 

 

 

 

 

 


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